Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwan's incumbent president, Lai Ching-te, won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election on Saturday, defeating his main rival, Han Kuo-yu, by a margin of nearly 20 percentage points.
Lai, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won 57% of the vote, while Han, a member of the Kuomintang (KMT), won 37%. The remaining 6% of the vote went to independent candidates.
Lai's victory is a major setback for China, which has been seeking to pressure Taiwan into unification. The Chinese government has threatened to use force if Taiwan ever declares independence.
In his victory speech, Lai vowed to defend Taiwan's democracy and sovereignty. He also said that he would work to improve relations with the United States and other countries.
"This is a victory for Taiwan's democracy and for the will of the Taiwanese people," Lai said. "We will continue to defend our freedom and our way of life."
Han's defeat is a major blow to the KMT, which has been struggling to win back support in recent years. The party has been criticized for its close ties to China and its perceived lack of commitment to Taiwan's independence.
Lai's victory is likely to further increase tensions between Taiwan and China. The Chinese government is likely to be disappointed by the outcome of the election and could take steps to pressure Taiwan in the coming months.
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