Taiwan to take another turn

epa05079079 Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwans Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate speaks as she meets with community chiefs at the Grand in Taipei, Taiwan, 23 December 2015. Three of Taiwans presidential candidates met community chiefs at the same venue at different times to seek for their support in the upcoming January 2016 presidential election. Taiwans general elections will be held on 16 January 2016. EPA/RITCHIE B. TONGO

A change of regime in Taipei could affect relationships in the region.

IN a way, this has happened before. The usually all-powerful Kuomintang suddenly finds its voter base split by a third party candidate and this allows the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to win the Presidential vote. That’s how Chen Shui-Bian won the 2000 presidential election, with ex-Kuomintang man James Soong coming in second, ahead of the “official” candidate Lien Chan.