Taiwan’s election on Saturday may be exercising minds in communist-ruled China, but for the voters streaming into kindergartens, temples and libraries across the island Beijing’s threats to their democracy are just part of everyday life.
“It’s a bit too far away from us,” said Joyce, a voter in her 20s who arrived at an elementary school in New Taipei City to cast her ballot with her twin siblings.
Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as its own territory, stepped up its rhetoric in the run-up to Saturday’s polls with dire warnings of conflict and fiery threats to “crush” independence moves.
But Joyce and her brothers are more interested in better salaries and lower property prices.
“Also better public transportation and cracking down on spam activities,” said her brother Jacky.
His twin Rocky said he thought China “doesn’t have extra capacity to invade us”.
“And I am not sure whether I will fight in the front line if war breaks out,” he told AFP.
China’s increasingly bellicose relationship with Taiwan was a dominant issue in the race to Saturday’s election, with candidates castigating each other over how their superpower neighbour should be handled.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has never ruled out using force to take Taiwan under Beijing’s control.
Declaring formal independence for Taiwan is a red line for Beijing’s leadership but a voter surnamed Chen pointed out the current reality of polling day, in which millions across the island are picking a new leader.
“We are still electing a president — isn’t that tantamount to independence?” 46-year-old Chen said.
Strolling around Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall — commemorating the nationalist leader who fled China after defeat by the communists — Chen also shrugged off China’s ramped-up military pressures on Taiwan which have global watchers worrying about a possible invasion.
“I’m not worried about war because Taiwan has had presidents for a long time,” he said.
Nearby, a woman in her 70s said she has become “numb to the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait”.
“They (China) talk loudly and make all kinds of claims, but I think… there won’t be any major issues,” she told AFP, declining to be identified.
“Compared to the rest of the world, Taiwan is still the best. It’s a democratic country where you can freely express yourself.”
China poll gag
In China, the topic of Taiwan’s election was among the top-trending hashtags on social media platform Weibo — before it was blocked around 9:45 am (0145 GMT), less than two hours after polls in the self-ruled island opened.
Taiwan has strict election laws for polling day that effectively prevent media from asking voters about their specific choices to avoid influencing the outcome.
It means voters often speak obliquely about their choices, while politicians on Saturday were reduced to simply calling on the Taiwan public to vote — and remarking on the sunny weather after days of chill.
After casting a ballot in her registered constituency, President Tsai Ing-wen — who cannot run again due to Taiwan’s two-term limit — reminded everyone to bring their ID cards when headed to the polling stations.
“Citizens of a democratic country can decide their country’s future with their votes so I would like to appeal to everyone here… to seize the time to come out and vote,” she said.
Fan, a 30-year-old doctor, had just stepped off his night shift and was blearily having breakfast before going to his registered poll centre.
“If given the choice, I would probably choose to uphold my values, even if it might eventually lead to war,” he told AFP, adding that he feels “regret” for being too busy to carefully examine the platforms for each candidate.
“After all, this is my right,” Fan said.
