“Excited sister” — a fixture at Kuomintang rallies — makes her presence identified at a rally for the KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih on Jan. 6.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_kmt_rally_0106_slide-9a97e351cf0f12ff43f3d126aacafdccf2cb2032-s1200.jpg)
“Excited sister” — a fixture at Kuomintang rallies — makes her presence identified at a rally for the KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih on Jan. 6.
An Rong Xu for NPR
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Amid a stunning show of coloration and theatrics, Taiwan, the one Chinese language-language democracy, is making ready to elect a brand new president this weekend. That is solely the eighth democratic presidential election within the island’s trendy historical past, so Taiwanese folks cherish the correct to vote.
Marketing campaign rallies are nearly theatrical. Musicians are sometimes employed to attain candidate’s stump speeches in actual time, in order they attain significantly emotional moments the music swells to accentuate the viewers reactions.
In lots of cases, the musician is a very powerful particular person on the rally — in addition to the candidates, after all — for one easy purpose: they supply the emotion.
At one rally for the Kuomintang (KMT) occasion, 1000’s of individuals collect at Dajia Riverside Park to cheer on candidate Hou Yu-ih. The ambiance is loud and raucous, and the group is a sea of KMT flags.
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5849_slide-bbe1d1158eab74fc18f3b96fc5c27867b0f7c832-s1100-c50.jpg)
KMT supporters at a rally in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5849_slide-bbe1d1158eab74fc18f3b96fc5c27867b0f7c832-s1200.jpg)
KMT supporters at a rally in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_kmt_rally_0277_slide-c528bbf08a7d27abb8f82fe6f88b68e145a95c17-s1100-c50.jpg)
Supporters present the vitality on the KMT rallies.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_kmt_rally_0277_slide-c528bbf08a7d27abb8f82fe6f88b68e145a95c17-s1200.jpg)
Supporters present the vitality on the KMT rallies.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5885_slide-6d546b7672c61001c3f13315992694c87e27ee5d-s1100-c50.jpg)
One of many smaller supporters noticed at a rally for KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5885_slide-6d546b7672c61001c3f13315992694c87e27ee5d-s1200.jpg)
One of many smaller supporters noticed at a rally for KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih.
An Rong Xu for NPR
One girl, who calls herself Ji Dong Jie — or “excited sister” in Mandarin — is clearly a fixture on the rally circuit. She is wearing a vivid crimson pantsuit, sparkly Mylar boas and rhinestone-studded heels. Her large fluffy pink hat is adorned with two Taiwanese flags that wave within the air as she leads the group in an impromptu dance.
“It is all DIY,” she tells NPR in Mandarin, including that she goes to each KMT rally. “I would like the KMT to work for peace. I do not need independence for Taiwan. I would like relations with the U.S. to be good, and I would like relations with China to be good. We’re all one household.”
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5830_custom-98222910e22faf2cd4bae0d78f3c5162eab452f3-s1100-c50.jpg)
Large flags and massive emotions are on show at a KMT rally.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
In the meantime, marketing campaign occasions hosted by the rival Democratic Progressive Get together (DPP) are typically quieter, however no much less festive. The present DPP Vice President, Lai Ching-te (often known as William Lai) is working to be the island’s new president and is favored to win.
At one reelection rally for a DPP legislator named Su Chiao-hui, volunteers costume in vivid inexperienced vests and hand out steaming, recent baoand marketing campaign souvenirs. Different candidates take pictures with supporters, and present president Tsai Ing-wen even makes an look to indicate her assist.
![4 things to know about Taiwan's 'crucial' election — and where the U.S. fits in](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/04/gettyimages-1899609294_sq-94292f2b10694f40d1c58e92ddcd75108d8e933e-s100.jpg)
Voters on the DPP rally sit on stools organized in neat rows, many sporting white baseball caps with Su’s identify emblazoned on the entrance.
As a part of their campaigns, legislative and presidential candidates typically journey in caravans via their districts, standing on open truck beds to wave to their constituents for hours at a time.
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0026_slide-576a55e22b4fd444b43f40fdf82f78d99ca84b03-s1100-c50.jpg)
Supporters of DPP legislator Su Chiao-hui rally for her in New Taipei Metropolis.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0026_slide-576a55e22b4fd444b43f40fdf82f78d99ca84b03-s1200.jpg)
Supporters of DPP legislator Su Chiao-hui rally for her in New Taipei Metropolis.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0241_slide-cf05db2ba9e126c2a44e399e956aaff480fe3727-s1100-c50.jpg)
Su is understood for her pink marketing campaign coloration.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0241_slide-cf05db2ba9e126c2a44e399e956aaff480fe3727-s1200.jpg)
Su is understood for her pink marketing campaign coloration.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0700_slide-e6e95a6d767d0c9c1d199c316e8288e798ea252b-s1100-c50.jpg)
A sea of white hats bearing Su’s identify may be seen at one rally.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0700_slide-e6e95a6d767d0c9c1d199c316e8288e798ea252b-s1200.jpg)
A sea of white hats bearing Su’s identify may be seen at one rally.
An Rong Xu for NPR
Over loudspeakers, Su calls out her because of individuals who voted for her, and sometimes bursts into tune. Her supporters cheer and wave from avenue corners and doorways, holding flags and giving her two thumbs up.
Su says she’s sporting a vivid pink vest (her marketing campaign coloration) as a result of she seems to be good in it and it flatters her pores and skin, even when she is not sporting any make-up.
![As China looms large, two opposing visions face off in Taiwan's election](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/taiwan-dip_sq-e2e2e8e1c12ecada4117556f3da14fc1c873299f-s100.jpg)
Posters of presidential candidates and their working mates may be seen in every single place in Taipei – certainly, all through the island – on billboards, avenue lamps and the perimeters of buildings.
The celebratory nature of campaigning in Taiwan doesn’t imply that folks on the island aren’t taking the election significantly. As each election approaches, the difficulty of China takes middle stage.
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5741_slide-30b82c81d1d391b6a3b7b631427c5cc1af2f5db7-s1100-c50.jpg)
That is solely the eighth democratic presidential election in Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/_dsc5741_slide-30b82c81d1d391b6a3b7b631427c5cc1af2f5db7-s1200.jpg)
That is solely the eighth democratic presidential election in Taiwan.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_kmt_rally_0293_slide-7b452b08378e53e00a76a0cba019d25ec49bc37b-s1100-c50.jpg)
KMT supporters watch on at a rally in January.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_kmt_rally_0293_slide-7b452b08378e53e00a76a0cba019d25ec49bc37b-s1200.jpg)
KMT supporters watch on at a rally in January.
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0642_slide-7d64b2ac047e7fc5c38203d4ee5c22bf0c78b5e9-s1100-c50.jpg)
Supporters at a DPP rally take all of it in.
An Rong Xu for NPR
disguise caption
toggle caption
An Rong Xu for NPR
![](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/11/arx_npr_01062023_suchaohui_0642_slide-7d64b2ac047e7fc5c38203d4ee5c22bf0c78b5e9-s1200.jpg)
Supporters at a DPP rally take all of it in.
An Rong Xu for NPR
Broadly talking, each the DPP and KMT favor sustaining the established order between Taiwan and China and each would love Taiwan to stay self-governed, even when it isn’t formally unbiased.
Individuals on the island are additionally frightened about low wages and the rising value of residing. Some imagine the DPP hasn’t paid sufficient consideration to the financial system over the previous eight years of President Tsai’s administration.
![China's Influence on Taiwan's Politics and Taiwan's Influence on Chinese Pop Culture](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2024/01/09/gettyimages-1910872176_sq-b84f889c91522dd1148211b587ec79ba39ecf191-s100.jpg)
Many youthful voters really feel disillusioned with each the DPP and the KMT, and have flocked to Ko Wen-Je, a third-party candidate on the poll this yr, representing the Taiwan Individuals’s Get together, or TPP.
As Taiwanese folks put together to go to voting stations on Saturday, the result — and the way forward for the island — stays to be seen.