The People’s Daily asked whether she will bring cross-Strait ties closer, or push the two sides further apart, and whether she will follow the correct path of peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, or push for “Taiwan independence” while claiming to “maintain the status quo”.
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“Playing catchup on defense after the past eight years of inattention is likely to expose her to accusations that she is provoking China”, Hammond-Chambers said.
The flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC) urged Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen to develop peaceful cross-Strait ties and stop taking an ambiguous attitude toward the “fundamental issue”.
“The two governing parties across the Strait must set aside the baggage of history and engage in positive dialogue for the benefit of the people on both sides”, she went on to say in her inauguration speech.
In a separate post, Ramsy writes that several Chinese news sources mistakenly reported that a panda, given by China during Taiwan’s previous government, had died on the same day as Tsai’s inauguration.
The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said the Taiwan leader has to choose between upholding the one China principle and pursuing “Taiwan independence”, which will lead to a different future.
He stressed that only by reaffirming the 1992 consensus, “which fleshes out the common political foundation of the one China principle”, can cross-strait communications be extended. Ing-wen is a part of the country’s Democratic party, which thinks Taiwan should be independent from China.
“The people elected a new President and new government with one single expectation: Solving problems”, said Ms Tsai.
In a sign of a deteriorating economy, Taiwan’s export orders fell more than expected in April, their 13th straight month of decline, according to data released on Friday, as demand in China and other global markets remained weak. “It shows the intention of the Congress and many American friends, as a part of continuing efforts in recent years, to provide Taiwan with access to the US military that would enhance Taiwan military’s exchange with the US/USN and widen the vision of the Taiwan military/Navy officers”.
DPPs success indicates a rise in pro-independence sentiment throughout the country, which was signalled in massive protests in 2014 that stalled a trade pact with main trade partner China.
Tsai reiterated that her government would “work to maintain peace and stability” with China. Since then, there have been attempts to declare Taiwan a ‘sovereignty country’.
China and Taiwan split in 1949.
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It referred to what it said were the inconsistent words and deeds of former president Chen Shui-bian, of the DPP, saying it was highly important for Tsai to put aside the historic burden of “Taiwan independence” to “embrace the political foundation that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China”.
