Overseas Chinese make their mark in elections in 2014

Democratic Party California State Senator Ted W. Lieu speaks with his supporters during an election night party in Los Angeles, the United States, Nov 4, 2014. Ted W. Lieu was the third Chinese American to be elected as US Congressman during this year's US midterm elections. [Photo/Xinhua]

The increasing involvement of overseas Chinese in politics

This has been a big year for overseas Chinese as elections saw more and more Asian politicians across the world run for seats in their local political races. The overseas Chinese candidates drew much attention in competing with other ethnic candidates this year.

Chinese-Americans raised their profile in elections across the United States on Nov 4, 2014, as California elected two politicians of Chinese descent to Congress for the first time. Democratic California state Senator Ted Lieu defeated challenger Elan Carr, 59 percent-41 percent, in the race to succeed Representative Henry Waxman, who has represented California's 33rd Congressional District for four decades.

Judy Chu, the first Chinese-American congresswoman and the chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, retained her seat in California's 27th Congressional District, getting 59 percent of the vote compared with Republican challenger Jack Orswell's 41 percent.

During Ontario general election, 2014, three Chinese candidates elected at the same time, longtime Liberal cabinet minister Michael Chan secured his seat in Markham-Unionville with a decisive victory. With 64 of 235 polls reporting June 12, 2014, night, Chan had 49.9 per cent of the votes cast, well ahead of PC candidate Shan Thayaparan's 34.4 per cent in second.

In June 2014, Kathleen Wynne, new Premier appointed Chan as the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, on Nov 14, 2014, he was confirmed by Jakarta City Council as the 17th Governor of Jakarta and was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on November 18. He is the first ethnic Chinese and the second Christian to be the Governor of Jakarta.

Three Asian Chinese was elected as the deputy head of the arrondissement of Paris.