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China and the months of anti-government unrest in Chinese-ruled
Hong Kong took center stage in the campaign. Tsai held out
Taiwan as a beacon of hope for protesters in the former British
colony, and firmly rejected Beijing's offer to Taiwan of the
"one country, two systems" model.
China claims Taiwan as its sacred territory, to be taken by
force if needed, a threat Chinese President Xi Jinping
reiterated year ago, though said he preferred a peaceful
solution.
"One country, two systems," which provides for a high degree of
autonomy, much as Beijing uses in Hong Kong, has never been
popular in Taiwan, and is even less so now after the months of
protests in Hong Kong.
China made itself even more unpopular in Taiwan in the run-up to
the election by twice sailing its newest aircraft carrier
through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, denounced by Taipei as an
effort at military intimidation.
"We hope that the Beijing authorities can understand that a
democratic Taiwan with a government chosen by the people will
not give in to threats and intimidation," Tsai told reporters
after her victory.
Beijing needs to understand the will of Taiwan's people, and
that only Taiwan's people can decide its future, she added.
Tsai beat her main opponent Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang party,
which favors close ties with China, by more than 2.6 million
votes.
LANDSLIDE WIN
In total she won almost 8.2 million votes in all, more than any
Taiwan president before since the island held its first direct
presidential election in 1996.
Speaking in the southern city of Kaoshiung where he is mayor,
Han, who had to fend off constant accusations from Tsai on the
campaign trail that he and his party were puppets of Beijing,
said he had called Tsai to offer his congratulations.
"No matter what happens, I still hope to see a united Taiwan
after we wake up," Han said, accompanied by a swell of mournful
music on stage. "I urge President Tsai Ing-wen to focus on
giving people a life where they can live safely and happily."
Han did not mention China in his concession speech and canceled
a planned news conference.
He had said Taiwan could only be safe and prosperous if it had
good relations with Beijing.
"People have been stirred up by the Hong Kong situation and that
deceived many people into voting for Tsai," said Han supporter
Huang Lu-lu, 38, clutching a Taiwan at what was supposed to be a
victory rally for Han in Kaohsiung.
After his brief speech, the glum crowds dispersed, some crying.
NOT GOOD FOR CHINA
There was no immediate reaction to Tsai's re-election from
China.
State news agency Xinhua, in a brief dispatch, noted Han's loss
and Tsai's victory.
Tsai's win is all the more embarrassing for China because it
follows another landslide victory, in November, for
pro-democracy candidates in Hong Kong in district council
elections after residents turned out in record numbers.
Tsai said "friends in Hong Kong" would be happy with her
victory.
Taiwanese are broadly sympathetic to the protesters in Hong
Kong, an Asian financial hub.
"I saw what's happening in Hong Kong and it's horrible," said
first-time voter Stacey Lin, 20. "I just want to make sure I
have the freedom to vote in the future."
Speaking in Taipei, the capital, Lin said she had voted for
Tsai. "She is the best among all the candidates to protect our
democracy," Lin added.
Sam Chan, 30, who immigrated to Taiwan from Hong Kong in 2014
over fears of China's growing control there, said Tsai was the
best to protect Taiwan.
"I immigrated to Taiwan to escape from the Communist Party, so I
won't vote for pro-China political parties."
(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Meg Shen; Additional reporting by
Felice Wu, and by James Pomfret in Kaohsiung; Writing by Ben
Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Shri Navaratnam and
Frances Kerry)
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