Tsai Ing-wen and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won a convincing victory in both presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, in what could usher in a new round of instability with China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own. The DPP took 68 of the 113 seats in Taiwan’s parliament compared to the KMT’s 35. The Global Times newspaper said Sunday that Tsai’s election was neither a vote for Taiwan independence nor a gauge of relations between the two sides.
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In her speech, Tsai promised Taiwanese residents a more stable relationship between Taiwan and China. Taiwan Affairs Office, the Chinese Cabinet for handling Taiwan affairs, opposed the island’s independence.
The United States, Taiwan’s most important ally and source of defensive arms, congratulated Tsai on her victory.
Taiwanese support for Ms Tsai and the DPP surged after voters became increasingly uneasy about a rapprochement with China under outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang.
The White House welcomed the result in similar terms.
DPP control of the government might spell the end to Beijing’s efforts to secure control of Taiwan be means other than war as a growing “Taiwanese” identity begins to replace the aging veterans of the Chinese Civil War who fled the mainland in 1949.
The Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, signed in June 2013 between Taiwan and mainland China, triggered strong opposition from Taiwanese students against the government.
She has already set up a taskforce to oversee the transfer of power, Taiwan’s third transition of power in its democratic history.
Tsai’s election strategy this time proved effective.
The DPP has traditionally backed independence for Taiwan, but Tsai has moderated its rhetoric, promising to maintain the “status quo” with China.
China views Taiwan as a secessionist province, one that it has threatened to retake with force, while Taiwan calls itself a sovereign state.
The Xinhua news agency said moves toward independence would be “poison” to the relationship between Taiwan and China.
In an interview with Next magazine, Tsai said that communication is “not just about sitting down and negotiating”. This is a sign that the new president of Taiwan is extremely aware of her responsibility regarding the stability of the region.
The president-elect appeared to pay no heed to possible Chinese concerns.
The message voters have sent Beijing is that, while they want reduced tensions and good relations, they cherish Taiwan’s sovereignty, democracy and self-rule even more. Taiwan’s cross-Strait situation can be harmonious, which conforms with the fundamental interests of most Taiwan compatriots and almost 1.4 billion compatriots of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
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“Links established with mainland China in business and trade should grow and be extended to include increased people-to-people exchanges”, the Dalai Lama added.
