HAN CONCEDES: Han Kuo-yu said that he had not tried hard enough and let his supporters down, while he expressed hope for a united and happy Taiwan

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 12, 2020
By: Yang Chun-hui, Shih Hsiao-kuang and Lin Liang-sheng  /  Staff reporters

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) triumphed in the

presidential election yesterday, crushing the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) hopes for a return to power by taking 57.1 percent of the vote.

Tsai secured a second term in office in a landslide victory against the rival tickets of Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the KMT’s presidential candidate, and his vice presidential candidate, former premier Simon Chang (張善政); and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and his vice presidential candidate, former United Communications Group chairwoman Sandra Yu (余湘).

Voting took place between 8am and 4pm at 17,226 polling stations nationwide.

The ticket of Tsai and her running mate, former premier William Lai (賴清德), won 8,170,231 votes, or 57.13 percent of the 19,311,105 registered voters, with the Han-Chang ticket garnering 5,522,119 votes (38.61 percent) and the Soong-Yu ticket receiving 608,590 votes (4.26 percent).
[FULL  STORY]

2020 Elections

Radio Taiwan International
Datge: 10 January, 2020
By: Paula Chao

The Central Election Commission says vote counting for the 2020 election is expected to finish by 10:00pm Saturday night.

The commission says that more than half of eligible voters are registered to vote in Taiwan’s six urban special municipalities: Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. Over 13.3 million eligible voters, or 69.27% of this year’s electorate is registered in one of these cities.

Meanwhile, the commission is telling voters what to expect when they arrive at their polling place. The commission says that voters will get three ballots.

One ballot will count their vote for president and vice president. Another will count their vote for local representatives in the legislature.    [FULL  STORY]

The News Lens
Date: 2020/01/10
By: TNL Staff

Taiwan's 2020 General Elections: Live Map and Updates    [LIVE MAP]

Taiwan KMT official claims all Australians are descended from criminals amid bribery allegations involving Chinese spy

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/11
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In response to news that Kuomintang (KMT) party Deputy Secretary General Alex Tsai (蔡正元) was being investigated by Australian police for allegedly trying to bribe a Chinese spy into recanting his story, Tsai on Friday retorted that Australia "harbors criminals."

On Wednesday (Jan. 8), The Age reported that Tsai and a Chinese businessman identified as Sun Tianqun (孫天群) had allegedly tried to bribe and intimidate self-proclaimed Chinese spy Wang "William" Liqiang (王立強) into making a false confession implicating the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in an attempt to sway the Taiwanese election set to take place on Saturday (Jan. 11).

During a press conference at noon on Thursday (Jan. 9), Deputy Justice Minister Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) confirmed Australian police had sought to verify Tsai's identity by contacting the judicial unit in early January and that relevant information and assistance had been provided, reported Up Media. At press conference at noon on Friday (Jan. 10), Tsai refuted the allegations and countered that "Australia is a country that harbors criminals," reported UDN.

Tsai said that he had always looked down on Australia. He claimed that he knew Wang was a liar, and he used the safe haven to create an international incident, which left the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) room to operate.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/10/2020
By: Matthew Mazzetta

Taipei, Jan. 10 (CNA) The Taiwanese people will go to the polls in the country's seventh direct presidential election Jan. 11.

Voters will choose between incumbent president and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominee Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Kuomintang (KMT) nominee Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) and People First Party (PFP) nominee James Soong (宋楚瑜).

To compare the candidates' platforms, CNA has reviewed their campaign websites, policy presentations and other public statements, and has compiled their positions in four key policy areas in the charts below.    [FULL  STORY]

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION: The president said that the world’s eyes were on today’s vote and people must choose a leader who has the courage to reform policy

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 11, 2020
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) concluded her election campaign with a rally in Taipei last night,

saying that today’s presidential and legislative elections would “decide the future of Taiwan’s young people.”

“Let us vote for a leader who is guiding Taiwan to link with the international community and participate in the world economy, not a candidate who wants to lock Taiwan to China,” said Tsai, who is seeking re-election as the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) presidential candidate.

“This is a vote for Taiwanese to cast their ballots for democracy and freedom, in defiance of China’s constant threat of annexation,” she told the crowd on Ketagalan Boulevard. “It is a vote for Taiwan to have a better future, and for Taiwan to move forward.”

She asked people to urge their friends and relatives in other cities and counties to cast their party votes for the DPP and not split them among other parties, “because we need to elect DPP legislators to retain a legislative majority, so I can do my job better, finish reforms, and safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty and protect our homeland.”    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan 2020: Women Running for Legislature

The News Lens
Date: 2020/01/09
By: Brian Hioe

New Bloom interviewed Hsieh Pei-fen (謝佩芬), legislative candidate for the DPP in Taipei City District 6. Hsieh previously worked as a diplomat at the Permanent Mission of Tuvalu to the United Nations and in the National Security Council.

Brian Hioe: Could you introduce yourself to readers who might not know you?

H: I’m 32 years old this year. Age is never a secret in Taiwanese elections, you have to say this right away in an interview. [Laughs]

I’m running for legislator in Da'an. My specialties are in law and diplomacy. I studied in Taiwan up until college, graduating with degrees in law and politics from National Taiwan University. After I graduated, I went to Harvard Law School for an MA.

Later on, I worked at the United Nations as a diplomat for three years, as part of the Permanent Mission of Tuvalu to the UN. Then I went to the Harvard University Kennedy School for an MA in Public Policy. When I returned to Taiwan, I worked as an assistant in the National Security Council.

This is a brief introduction to my life history. What I’ve done or studied in the past primarily has to do with public policy, particularly regarding law and diplomacy.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwanese workers at historical low despite higher salaries as China economy declines

Taiwan News
Date: 2020/01/09
By: Ching-Tse Cheng, Taiwan News, Staff Writer\

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As China's economy declines due to the China-U.S. trade war, many Taiwanese working in China long to return home.

A Taiwanese internet user, who is employed by a Chinese enterprise, shared his overseas working experiences on the online forum "Mobile01" late last year. He said his nostalgia for Taiwan is becoming stronger all the time and he feels left out in the company's social circles, despite sharing the same language as his Chinese co-workers.

The Taiwanese worker added that although companies in China provide higher salaries, working at home will allow him to live closer to his family and friends. Upon being published, the post accumulated hundred of comments from Taiwanese workers who share similar feelings.

Some pointed out the cost of living in China has risen. Others said Taiwanese workers are often dismissed from companies before their Chinese counterparts — solely because they are Taiwanese.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/09/2020

With just two days left until Taiwan's Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections, candidates are making the most of the final hours as they campaign across the country.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who is running for re-election, visited Hsinchu and Taoyuan on Thursday, and will attend two campaign rallies in Yilan and Keelung in the evening.

Meanwhile, Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) live-streamed his visit to the Sun Yun-Suan Memorial Museum on Facebook, and he is later scheduled to attend a "victory rally" on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei.

The rally will feature many prominent members of the KMT, including the party's former Chairman Lien Chan (連戰), former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), and current Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義).    [FULL  STORY]

TSAI VERSUS SPY? The Ministry of Justice said William Wang Liqiang told police that Alex Tsai made threats against him, while Tsai said the DPP’s Chiou I-jen was involved

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 10, 2020
By: Jason Pan  /  Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members yesterday accused Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)

Deputy Secretary-General Alex Tsai (蔡正元) and a Chinese businessman of attempting to bribe and intimidate self-professed Chinese spy William Wang Liqiang (王立強), while the Ministry of Justice confirmed that Australian authorities had sought Taiwan’s assistance to investigate an alleged threat to Wang’s life.

DPP presidential campaign office spokeswoman Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) said at a news conference in Taipei that the issue was “an international scandal.”

“It is repugnant for a top official to use intimidation and enticement to press Wang to recant his statement about spying, and then say he was bought off by the DPP for a large amount of money,” Chien said.

“Wang Liqiang, who is currently in Australia, reported to police that Alex Tsai and another man had made threats against him,” Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) told the news conference in Taipei. “Australian police then contacted us with a request for information on Mr Tsai.”
[FULL  STORY]