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Taiwan elections 2020
ChinaPolitics

Taiwan election rivals Tsai Ing-wen and Han Kuo-yu make final pitch to voters

  • President’s supporters gather in Taipei on night before election with candidate looking to be on course for re-election
  • Tsai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party has a big majority in parliament but Han’s popularity could help the KMT close the gap

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Supporters of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen at a final rally for the front-runner. Photo: EPA-EFE
Sarah Zhengin Beijing
On the eve of Taiwan’s elections, the major presidential contenders made their final appeals to voters in front of the presidential office in Taipei.
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Tens of thousands of supporters for President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking re-election for the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), gathered in Ketagalan Boulevard on Friday evening waving pink and green party flags.

“Every one of us must vote!” Tsai told the cheering crowd at the rally. “This is for the sake of the young people in Taiwan, for the sake of their future!”

“Tsai Ing-wen, elect! 2020, Taiwan will win!” the crowds chanted. “Legislature! More than half!”

Less than 24 hours earlier, the same streets were filled with tens of thousands of people calling for Tsai to be replaced by Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu, from the mainland-friendly Kuomintang (KMT), a populist figure who swept to victory in the regional elections in November 2018.
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While Han is trailing in the opinion polls, the possibility of defeat was not on the minds of his supporters as he took to the stage to face a sea of flags for the Republic of China, the official name for Taiwan.

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