Taiwan Elects Pro-independence, First Female President

This common sentiment helped to propel Tsai Ing-wen, leader of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, into power in the presidential election on January 16.

Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China, and while the island is technically a sovereign state, mainland China (the People’s Republic of China, or PRC) sees Taiwan as under its authority.

Tsai swept aside her China-friendly rival Eric Chu of the Nationalist Party that had ruled Taiwan under president Ma Ying-jeou since 2008.

Tsai Ing-wen on her victory in Taiwan’s presidential election.

‘Both sides have a responsibility to do their utmost to find mutually acceptable ways to interact with respect and reciprocity and ensure no provocation and no surprises, ‘ Tsai added, having taken more than half the vote. But the experiences of those in Taiwan haven’t been the same as China’s for decades.

“Taiwan and China need to keep some distance”, said Willie Yao, a computer engineer voting in Taipei who said he backed Tsai.

While she makes no pretence of supporting the “one China” doctrine embraced by both the mainland and the Nationalist opposition, she has given assurances that she intends to uphold the “status quo” with China, as The Christian Science Monitor reported.

(AP Photo/Wally Santana). A Taiwanese woman marks her ballots while holding her son in the presidential election at a local polling station in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016.

“We’ve lost”, Chu said.

“I call on China that if it wants to push forward ties with Taiwan… they have to respect Taiwanese people who want to maintain their way of life, and respect Taiwan people’s right to decide their future”, he said. The outcome of today’s elections represents the will of the Taiwanese people.

Kishida only said Japan hoped the issues surrounding Taiwan would be “resolved peacefully”. “We are willing to strengthen contact and exchange with any parties and groups that recognize that the two sides belong to one China”.

“Now more than ever, we must stand with Taiwan and reaffirm our commitment to their security”, he said in a statement.

The Kuomintang (KMT), which saw its support base eroding over the years, had justified better economic ties with the Chinese for Taiwan’s economic growth but the president-elect, Tsai Ing-wen, who likens herself to German Chancellor Angela Merkel feels the ties have made Taiwan too dependent on China, and hence vulnerable.

Jubilant crowds gathered at the DPP headquarters in Taipei, where Tsai was due to speak later Saturday.

But Beijing still sees it as part of its territory awaiting unification, by force if necessary.

Taiwan is an internal matter for China, there is only one China in the world and the island’s election neither changes this reality nor global acceptance of it, China’s government said after the pro-independence opposition won a landslide.

Tsai, who earned advanced degrees in the United States and the United Kingdom, promised a “new era”, ending the “old politics of intimidation and confrontation”, reported the Los Angeles Times.