TAIPEI – 

If there was ever a doubt as to what most Taiwanese think about Beijing’s ambitions for unification, then the results of Saturday’s pivotal presidential election made it crystal clear.

By choosing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai Ching-te as their next leader, Taiwanese voters not only reaffirmed their support for the DPP’s handling of ties with China, but also shrugged off Beijing’s warnings that returning the party to the pinnacle of power would increase the risk of conflict.