Taiwan’s nearly 20 million voters will choose a new president tomorrow, and wildcard candidate Ko Wen-je is the name to know. His off-the-cuff humour and knack for stirring the pot has seen Ko build a big online following, and that’s made life difficult for frontrunners Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (the incumbent party) and Kuomintang candidate Hou You-yi. “We have taken people by surprise,” said Cynthia Wu, who’s running to be Ko’s deputy. Dali Yang, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, reckons Ko’s influence will only grow after the election, even if he doesn’t win. As for what’s ahead for whoever lands the top job – it’s a lot about managing relations with China, Taiwan’s biggest threat/largest trade partner. And they have to keep Western leaders onside, particularly given the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.