Tensions with China – and the threat of a possible invasion – dominated Taiwan’s political landscape as the island went to the polls this weekend.
The three men running for president have expressed desire for peaceful relations with Beijing, which regards the territory as its own.
But in the runup to the election, China ramped up military pressure on Taipei and describes Saturday’s elections as a choice between war and peace.
When are Taiwan’s elections and who is running for president?
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Taiwan on Saturday., with polls closing at 4pm local time (8am UK time).
About 23 million people were eligible to choose a new president, vice president and all 113 members of the Legislative Yuan parliament.
Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is one of those running for president. He’s currently Taiwan’s vice president serving under incumbent Tsai Ing-Wen, who has held the top job since 2016.
But a victory for Mr Lai would be a provoking outcome for China, as the DPP takes the hardest line against Beijing and refuses to acknowledge the principle of “One China”.
Not only that, Mr Lai himself has a history of being more openly pro-independence than Ms Tsai.
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Also in the running is Hou Yu-ih from the Nationalist, or Kuomintang, party, which is pro closer ties with China.
A former police officer, he has accused Mr Lai and Ms Tsai of being “separatists” who are trying to provoke a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
The Kuomintang previously endorsed unification with China but has shifted its stance in recent years and wants to maintain the status quo in relations with Beijing.
The third candidate is Ko Wen-je from the smaller Taiwan People’s Party.
In a televised debate in December he said: “We have to make it clear to the Chinese government that my bottom line is that Taiwan must maintain its current democratic and free political system and way of life.
“Only if these conditions are met can we have dialogue.”
How close is the race?
Mr Lai has been the frontrunner in the race for the presidency, with some polls giving him a commanding lead.
However some have the race a lot closer – and new polling figures now cannot be published so close to the election.
A TVBS poll put Mr Lai at 33% with Mr Hou at 30% and former Taipei mayor Mr Ko at 22%. ETtoday on Tuesday put Mr Lai at 38.9%, Mr Hou at 35.8% and Mr Ko at 22.4%.
As for the Legislative Yuan, polls have pointed to no party getting more than 50% of the seats, meaning no matter who wins the presidency, they will have to work with other parties to get legislation passed.
Read more:China building runway on disputed island, images suggestPresident Xi calls for ‘enhanced war planning’
What about China?
Looming over the election has been China’s steadily increasing pressure on Taiwan. The fact that the vote is happening at all is provocative to China.
This included barring it from major international gatherings, wooing away its diplomatic allies to just a handful, and offering financial inducements to politicians who could influence the vote or promote policies increasing Chinese access to the island’s economy.
Beijing regularly sends ships and warplanes around Taiwan, jets cross over the so-called median line between the two on a daily basis and Taiwan has to scramble its own planes in response.
The island’s defence ministry has also reported a growing number of spy balloons crossing over from China.
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On Tuesday 9 January, the defence ministry reported that a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite flew over southern Taiwan at high altitude.
Top Chinese leaders have generally avoided public comments on the upcoming elections, though Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a New Year’s address that China’s “reunification” with Taiwan is inevitable.
In addition the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing recently warned that Taiwan voters need to make “the correct choice between peace and war prosperity and decline”.
Beijing has called Mr Lai “a destroyer of peace” and a separatist, and favours the more China-friendly Kuomintang candidate, Mr Hou.
