Regardless of Tsai’s plans during her first year as president, her win is an important one. “We must ensure that no provocations or accidents take place”, Tsai said.
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“On such a major issue as safeguarding state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Chinese government has rock-solid determination and never tolerates any separatist activities aiming at ‘Taiwan independence, ‘” said the statement, quoting ministry spokesman Hong Lei. Tsai supporters appeared confident that ties with China would weather a change in government. “This is about working to overcome the obstacles in Taiwan’s path” Tsai told supporters in the rain at a final rally Friday night in front of the presidential office building in the center of the capital Taipei.
Candidates from across the political spectrum sounded a rare note of unity Saturday after a teenage pop star posted a video online apologizing for having waved the Taiwanese flag on a South Korean TV program.
Most probably, Beijing will observe what Tsai does and says before she takes office in May.
“We also congratulate the people on Taiwan for once again demonstrating the strength of their robust democratic system, which will now undergo another peaceful transition of power”, said John Kirby, spokesperson for the US State Department.
Ms Tsai unseated Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) nationalist party, which has ruled the island of 23 million people since “Generalissimo” Chiang Kai-shek fled there in 1949, with the exception of 2000-2008 when the DPP were in charge. With tears in her eyes, she added: “I promised to turn your tears into smiles so we can greet the new era with joy”.
Tsai’s victory was widely expected.
Tsai, known as Asia’s Angela Merkel, said as she accepted her victory that she would not be provocative in relations with China, but warned China that “suppression” would harm cross-strait ties.
It was by far the biggest mandate ever won by a DPP president.
The election also marked the first time the KMT has lost control of the island’s legislature.
“Today’s election result proves to the world that Taiwanese people have freedom, Taiwanese people have democracy”.
“When you do as well, as decisively as the DPP has done, there are no excuses” for failure, Diamond said. Optometrist David Chen, 28, said he wanted Tsai to stand up to China.
“I have promised on many occasions that I will build a consistent, predictable and sustainable cross-strait relationship”, she said. Ma capped off his presidency with a historic banquet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore in November.
Low salaries and high housing prices are also riling voters who feel they have not benefited from the warming relations.
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Resentment towards the KMT over its China policy and Taiwan’s economic woes saw it haemorrhage seats Saturday.
