Independence-leaning party's nominee wins Taiwan election, auguring more tension with China

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's ruling party clinched a third presidential term in Saturday's election, in a historic win that portends the continuation of a tense cross-strait standoff between Beijing and the self-governed island.

With 40.1% of the vote, current Vice President Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party defeated two candidates who favored closer ties with Beijing, indicating that for the majority of voters, antipathy toward China outweighed growing discontent over the economy and other domestic issues.

"They have just proven that it's possible to break the eight-year curse," Wen-ti Sung, a political scientist with Australia National University's Taiwan Studies Program, said of the DPP's win. "They can signal to Beijing that they have staying power."

But despite the unprecedented third-term victory, analysts said the