Taipei [Taiwan], January 15 (ANI): Hou Yu-ih returned to his role as mayor of New Taipei City on Sunday, after he lost the Taiwan presidential elections to Lai Ching-te, reported Taiwan News.
In order to run for president in September, Hou resigned from his position as mayor of New Taipei.
According to Channel News Asia, he expressed his regret to the people of the city on Sunday for any problems relating to the administration of the city that arose during his campaign.
Hou promised to put more effort into the city going forward and turn New Taipei into a sophisticated, global metropolis. After that, he examined transportation-related projects in the Sanxia and Xizhi Districts in New Taipei, according to Taiwan News.
Hou conducted an inspection of the MRT network’s blue line extension, which will link Tucheng in New Taipei to Yingge. According to Hou, this project is anticipated to be finished by 2025.
In the Saturday presidential polls, Hou garnered thirty-three per cent of the vote; nonetheless, he was defeated by Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party, who secured almost forty per cent of the vote.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te has won the much-anticipated Taiwanese presidential polls and is set to be the next President amid concerns of escalating tensions with China.
This marks the historic third-straight victory for the DPP after Tsai Ing-wena completed her two terms as Taiwan’s President since 2016.
Previously undecided voters split three ways among the candidates, giving Lai a seven-point lead over Kuomintang candidate Hou Yu-ih, who received 33 per cent of the total votes.
In third place, the Taiwan People’s Party candidate Ko Wen-je took 26 per cent of the national vote, performing marginally better than expected, according to Taiwan News.
Lai, who previously served as Tainan’s mayor has pledged to continue bolstering national defense, the economy, and cooperation with democratic allies. He also said he would maintain deterrence and uphold the cross-strait status quo, during an election speech.
Lai said he would form a new government staffed by individuals based on their ‘capabilities’ rather than ‘party affiliation’, adding that this way, “it could effectively respond to challenges, be open and inclusive, and unite Taiwanese to face both domestic and international challenges”.
Lai’s victory will surely cause protest from Beijing, which would have preferred the China-friendly KMT and Hou Yu-ih in power. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office on Thursday labelled Lai as an “obstinate Taiwan independence worker” that would bring “cross-strait confrontation and conflict”, according to Taiwan News.
China has increased military activities around Taiwan in recent years, including near-daily incursions into the country’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) and sending military ships near its maritime borders. With Lai as president, the Taiwanese have made clear they will not back down from Chinese intimidation. (ANI)
