Asia Report #36 | December 2015

As Taiwan casts votes for a new government in January 2016, the world is watching closely to see how the election might shake up Taipei’s domestic policies and its relationships with neighbors. Polls indicate the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Tsai Ing-wen, has a 2-to-1 lead over the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and its candidate, Eric Chu, as well as the DPP likely securing a majority in the Legislative Yuan. The KMT is perceived by voters as being pro-China, so the shift in domestic politics driving the probable DPP victory may have profound implications for regional security and economic dynamics, not to mention U.S. foreign policy in East Asia.

In this Asia Report, we present the analysis offered at a recent conference – Voting for Change: The Impact of Taiwan’s Upcoming Elections, sponsored by the Sigur Center for Asian Studies. You can also listen to the event’s audio on the Sigur Center’s website.