Taiwan Elects William Lai President In Snub To China, Beijing Responds By Stressing ‘Inevitable Reunification’

William Lai Ching-te from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has emerged victorious in Saturday’s historic Taiwan presidential election, and Beijing is not happy, having immediately issued a rebuke after having urged the populace not the vote for him, saying the outcome “will not impede the inevitable trend of China’s reunification.”

Beijing further claimed that DPP doesn’t represent the mainstream public opinion on the island, despite that Lai, who serves as the current vice president, has just taken over 40% of votes cast – according to partial early results – in the three-way race with Hou Yu-ih from the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). It was comfortable victory and resounding message to China.