Cheered on by China, Taiwan’s opposition drubs the ruling party

ON THE FACE of things, local elections in Taiwan on November 24th had little to do with China. Rather, they centred on disgruntlement with Tsai Ing-wen, the president, who had pushed through several controversial reforms since taking office in 2016, while dithering over some of her supporters’ most cherished causes. But the outcome, a crushing defeat for Ms Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which would like Taiwan to abjure its notional status as part of China and declare itself a distinct country, will have prompted delight on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which favours ever-closer ties with China, has been revived after a dismal performance in 2016. Ms Tsai’s hopes of re-election in 2020 are looking dimmer.