Britain congratulates Taiwan's pro-independence candidate in presidential vote

13 January 2024, 18:19 | Updated: 13 January 2024, 18:24

By Jasmine Moody

Britain has welcomed the presidential election result in Taiwan as the pro-independence candidate won after the opposition party conceded defeat.

Lai Ching-te, the candidate of the Democratic Progessive Party (DPP) - which favours independence from China - will replace Tsai Ing-wen, who has served the two-term limit.

In response to the win, Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron gave his "warm congratulations" to victor Lai Ching-te, who vowed to safeguard the island's de-facto independence from Beijing.

Lord Cameron added that he hoped that both China and Taiwan would "resolve differences peacefully through constructive dialogue".

The foreign secretary said that the victory is testament to Taiwan's "vibrant democracy.

"I offer warm congratulations to the people of Taiwan on the smooth conduct of those elections and to Dr Lai Ching-te and his party on his election," he said.

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"I hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will renew efforts to resolve differences peacefully through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion."

Conservative former prime minister Liz Truss also congratulated Mr Lai on X/Twitter, writing: "Congratulations to my friend Vice President @ChingteLai on his victory in Taiwan’s Presidential election.

"It is vital that this democracy on the frontier of freedom thrives.

"We must do all we can to ensure Taiwan is able to defend itself.'

The leader of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, Hou Yu-ih, said as he conceded defeat: "Thank you all. I tried my best, I'm very sad that I could not complete the change of government. I'm very sorry."

"I hope all parties can face up to Taiwan's challenges. We need a united Taiwan," he said.

"We have many issues and problems, we need a government that solves them, and we need a government that also serves its youth. Blue [the KMT] will move forward, we will be stronger... and make greater leaps forward."

The KMT party had ran on a ballot of closer ties with China, while the smaller Taiwan People's Party framed its election campaign around domestic issues.

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Tensions between Taiwan and China are expected to continue after Mr Ching-te's victory, who was described as a "troublemaker" by the Chinese government.

For the last eight years, Beijing has criticised Taiwan’s current leader, Tsai Ing-wen, who Mr Ching-te will succeed after serving as vice president.