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Taiwan elections: Tsai Ing-wen pulls ahead of Han Kuo-yu as counting gets under way, TV stations say
- Initial results show incumbent president with about 57 per cent of the vote, with main rival back on 38 per cent
- Candidates’ campaigns have focused on sovereignty, democracy and cross-strait relations – amplified by anti-government protests in Hong Kong
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Early figures put incumbent leader Tsai Ing-wen ahead of her main rival Han Kuo-yu in the Taiwan presidential race, according to local television reports.
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Soon after the official count got under way – as the polls closed at 4pm – broadcaster EBC said Tsai had secured 3 million votes, or 56.6 per cent of the total, while Han had 38.8 per cent.
SETN put the early split at 57 per cent for Tsai and 38.6 per cent for Han, while TVBS said Tsai had secured 3.08 million votes against Han’s 2.12 million.
The third candidate in the presidential race, James Soong, had less than 5 per cent of the vote, according to the broadcasters.
This year’s presidential and legislative elections are set to redefine the island’s political landscape under the shadow of its fraught relationship with mainland China and the ongoing crisis in Hong Kong.
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Turnout is expected to be higher than the presidential election four years ago, given the fiercely contested race and the good weather.
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