Major election victory for DPP

Taipei, 18 March 2000

Defying China's threats of war, Taiwanese voters ended a half century of Nationalist Party rule today and elected opposition leader Chen Shui-bian to the presidency.

With 80 percent of the vote counted, it appeared clear that Chen of the Democratic Progressive Party had trounced Nationalist Vice President Lien Chan and populist independent James Soong. Chen had 40 percent of the votes counted, with Soong trailing at 36 percent and Lien with just 23 percent.

DPP lawmaker Yeh Chu-lan claimed victory before tens of thousands of supporters at Chen's campaign office. Thousands of Chen's supporters celebrated with blaring air horns and deafening cheers as the results flashed on a huge TV screen set up on a blocked-off street in front of his Taipei campaign office.

Further election results from CNN