Lai, the current vice president, faced repeated attacks from China, which called him a dangerous separatist.
William Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan's presidential election, despite warnings from China – which claims Taiwan as part of its territory – not to vote for him.
The DPP does not represent the dominant public opinion on the island, Beijing said after Lai was named winner of Saturday's vote, adding that the vote “will not impede the inevitable trend of China's reunification.”
Lai, the current vice president, was in a three-way race with Hou Yu-ih of the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which was founded just in 2019.
With votes from all polling stations counted on Saturday, the Central Election Commission said Lai won 40.1 percent, ahead of Hou's 33.5 percent.
Hou admitted defeat and congratulated Lai on his victory. He also apologized to KMT supporters for failing to oust the DPP. Ko also admitted defeat.
“I want to thank the Taiwanese people for writing a new chapter in our democracy,” Lai said in a victory speech in which he thanked his two opponents for conceding. “We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will be on the side of democracy.”
He added that he hoped for a return to “healthy and orderly” exchanges with China, reiterating his desire for talks based on dignity and parity.
'The Taiwan of China'
Responding to Lai's victory, Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua said in a statement carried by state news agency Xinhua that “Taiwan is China's Taiwan.”
“Our stance on resolving the Taiwan question and achieving national 'reunification' remains consistent, and our determination is as firm as a rock,” he said.
The statement said China will adhere to the one-China principle and firmly oppose separatist activities aimed at “Taiwan independence” as well as “foreign interference.”
Taiwan's elections are of enormous significance due to the territory's disputed political status. Although autonomous since the 1940s, China still claims the island and its outlying territories and has not ruled out using force to achieve its ambitions.
In the run-up to the election, China denounced Lai as a dangerous separatist, said he would be a threat to peace in the region if he won, and called the election a choice between “peace and war.”
In his victory speech, Lai said the self-governing island had managed to fend off attempts to influence the vote, in an apparent blow to China. “The Taiwanese people have successfully resisted efforts by external forces to influence these elections,” he said.
Lai has maintained that he is committed to peace and open to conditional engagement with Beijing, while boosting the island's defenses.
But he also promised to “safeguard Taiwan from China's continued threats and intimidation.”
Unification
China has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, periodically stoking concerns about a possible invasion. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a recent New Year's speech that Taiwan's “unification” with China was “inevitable.”
Al Jazeera's Tony Cheng, reporting from Taipei, said: “There is a feeling here that whatever Taiwan does, China will follow its own course.”
“Believe [Lai] “They have made an effort, like the other candidates, to remain open to dialogue, but they are very aware that this will depend on what Beijing wants,” he added.
Cheng said China had made it clear that it did not want Lai to win the election and that a vote for the DPP would be a vote for war.
“These are very provocative words, but we have seen Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen manage very complicated relations with Beijing over the past eight years,” he said.
The DPP has been in power for the past eight years under President Tsai.
Some 19.5 million people aged 20 and older were eligible to vote on Saturday, and voters also elected politicians to Taiwan's 113-seat legislature in elections closely watched by the international community, including the United States.
Asked for his reaction to Saturday's election, US President Joe Biden briefly responded that Washington does not support Taiwan independence.
The Biden administration has feared that the election, transition and new administration will escalate the conflict with Beijing.
