Opposition leader congratulates Taiwan

“I am going to make the biggest efforts to seek a way for Taiwan and mainland China to socialize that’s mutually satisfactory to either side”.

Taiwan for all practical purposes been independent since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalist government fled to the island as the Communists, under Mao Zedong, swept to power.

Major things are happening in Taiwan and China is taking notice.

Garnering 6.89 million votes, or 56.12 percent, Tsai defeated Eric Chu of the ruling Kuomintang by 3.08 million votes.

It is not clear whether Tsai is convinced of these arguments, but she too is very positive about the future of cross-strait relations.

She succeeds Ma Ying-jeou, who will step down in May after serving two four-year terms.

While China has been relatively measured in its response, repeating its standard line about opposing independence, great uncertainty lies ahead.

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, warned that the DPP victory “poses grave challenges to cross-Strait relations” and underscored Beijing’s opposition to “secessionist attempts”.

“Of course, there are some people in Taiwan that are still rather traditional and they have some hesitation in considering a woman president”. But, she added, the DPP’s sweeping wins show Taiwan wants a government that is steadfast in protecting its sovereignty. Political parties place little importance on the church, except when it comes to diplomacy, he said. We should bear in mind that Beijing passed an anti-secession law a decade ago that is aimed squarely at Taiwan.

“Citizens who love the Republic of China are never pro-independence supporters”, he said.

On Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, the popularity of the phrase “use force to unify Taiwan” soared.

“I am not angry, it doesn’t bother me”, she said at the time. It is likely to put economic pressure on Taiwan. By 1971, even the United States supported the U.N. resolution giving the PRC the “China” seat in the General Assembly and the Security Council, effectively recognizing it as the only lawful representative of the Chinese people.

She has already set up a taskforce to oversee the transfer of power, Taiwan’s third transition of power in its democratic history.

Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the KMT, established a one-party state and military autocracy that became a valuable Cold War ally for the West against China and the Soviet Union, and the long-dominant Kuomintang ruled the island with an iron fist for decades until Chiang’s death in 1975. Lee won by a landslide.

During the first DPP administration under Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who was president from 2000 to 2008, China cut off negotiations with Taiwan and tensions often flared up in the Taiwan Strait.

During Burns’ visit with Chu, which lasted around 45 minutes, the former KMT chairman reiterated his support for the majority party in the Legislature – soon to be the DPP – taking the helm in forming the Cabinet.

Tsai also reaffirmed Taiwan’s sovereignty claim over East China Sea islands also claimed by China but controlled by Japan.

“It’s indeed encouraging to see how firmly rooted democracy has become in Taiwan”, the Nobel Peace laureate said in a statement. “Because our adversary is giant China”.