Tsai Ing-wen becomes first woman president of Taiwan

Taiwan’s independence-leaning opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen won a convincing victory in presidential elections on Saturday, becoming the first woman to hold the country’s top office.

The U.S. State Department congratualated Tsai Ing-wen on her victory, cautioning against anti-mainland sentiments.

Yao Li-min, chairman of the Citizen’s Congress Watch, agreed, telling the South China Morning Post that “neutral voters who previously did not want to go out to vote might show up to cast their ballots to Taiwan-centric candidates and China-friendly candidates could suffer as a result”.

Tzuyu of the multinational K-pop girl group TWICE and her agency chief have apologized for her waving of a Taiwanese flag that sparked controversy during the sensitive time of Taiwan’s presidential elections.

The election occurred amid concerns that the island’s economy is under threat from China and broad opposition to Beijing’s demands for political unification.

And a statement from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office quoted by Xinhua said it resolutely opposed “any form of secessionist activities seeking ‘Taiwan independence'”.

Taiwan has ruled itself since a split with the Chinese mainland in 1949 after a civil war, but has never formally declared independence.

In her victory speech, Tsai vowed to maintain the status quo with China. “We have our own democracy systems, we will not be influenced by China”, said Tsai Cheng-an, a 55-year-old Taipei professor.

The results were a stunning indictment of President Ma Ying-jeou’s KMT and his policies over the past eight years, including the centrepiece – rapidly warming ties with China.

It would not be possible for Taiwan’s new leader to solve the island’s problems without a stable cross-Strait situation. She said Taiwan will abide by global law in resolving the issue.

In a statement, Kirby said the USA shares with the Taiwan people a profound interest in the continuation of cross-Strait peace and stability.

Tsai Ing-wen, the candidate leading the Taiwanese Democratic Progressive Party, has been elected as president of Taiwan.

The outside world should not underestimate the continued importance of Taiwan to the Chinese leadership, said a senior Western diplomat, citing recent conversations with Chinese policymakers on Taiwan.

Dr Tsai was elected DPP chairwoman in what was seen as a caretaker role, but she soon proved her abilities, clearing the party’s debt and organising candidates for by-elections and local races.

“The Republic of China, as a democratic country, is the root of 23 million Taiwanese people”.

For China, whose President Xi Jinping is already taking an increasingly muscular approach to claims in the East and South China Sea, the question of Taiwan trumps any other of its territorial assertions in terms of sensitivity and importance.

She will have to balance the superpower interests of China, also Taiwan’s largest trading partner, and the United States with those of her freewheeling, democratic home. However, the economic benefits of deeper integration with China did not materialize for most ordinary citizens, and many voters, especially younger ones, have grown resistant to the idea that China is trying to exert too much control over Taiwan.