The 2000 presidential election on Taiwan concluded with Chen Shui-bian acquiring the presidency with a plurality of 39% of the vote against a divided pan-Blue opposition. Former KMT politician and former Governor of Taiwan James Soong garnered 37% of the popular vote as an independent candidate, while the official KMT candidate Lien Chan gained only 23%. This marked the first instance of a party other than the KMT having won a national-level election.
He managed to garner the support of the electorate in part by crafting an image as a middle-of-the-road candidate regarding cross-strait affairs, advocating for a referendum to be held on Taiwan's political status.
Anticipating that governance without control of the legislature will be challenging, Chen appointed a diverse coalition of DPP, KMT and independent politicians to form a government. While he had been an advocate of Taiwan independence previously, he dialled down his rhetoric, pledging in his inaugural speech to only declare independence in case of a Chinese invasion.
