Reuters:
TAIPEI, Nov 26 – Polls opened in Taiwan on Saturday in local elections that President Tsai Ing-wen has framed as being about sending a message to the world about the island’s determination to defend its democracy in the face of China’s rising bellicosity.
The elections for mayors, county chiefs and local councillors are ostensibly about domestic issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and crime, and those elected will not have a direct say on China policy.
But Tsai has recast the election as being more than a local poll, saying the world is watching how Taiwan defends its democracy amid military tensions with China, which claims the island as its territory.
“Taiwan is facing strong external pressure. The expansion of Chinese authoritarianism is challenging the people of Taiwan every day to adhere to the bottom line of freedom and democracy,” Tsai told supporters late on Friday.
China carried out war games near Taiwan in August to express anger at a visit to Taipei by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and its military activities have continued, though on a reduced scale.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang or KMT, swept the 2018 local elections, and has accused Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of being overly confrontational with China. The KMT traditionally favours close ties with China but strongly denies being pro-Beijing.
