China state media warn Taiwan president-elect Tsai Ing-wen against ‘hypocrisy’

The landslide win of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its leader Tsai-Ing wen in Saturday’s (Jan 16) elections suggests a growing sense of identity and increasing caution towards China in Taiwan, analysts told Channel NewsAsia.

Eric Chu, the Nationalist party candidate in Taiwan’s presidential election, has conceded defeat and congratulated rival Tsai Ing-wen to victory as the country’s new President, state-run Central News Agency reported.

“We will work toward maintaining the status quo for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait in order to bring the greatest benefits and well-being to the Taiwanese people”, she said. Tsai ling-wen’s pre-approved victory is not the only iconic moment of Taiwan’s election.

While The Global Times, an influential tabloid published from the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily newspaper, said in an editorial that if Tsai’s administration sought to “cross the red line” like Chen, Taiwan would “meet a dead end”.

The DPP has traditionally leaned in favor of independence for the island from mainland China, which could anger Beijing, which which views Taiwan as an integral part of its territory that is to be taken by force if necessary. As a longstanding friend, Singapore looks forward to maintaining our close relations and cooperation with Taiwan based on our consistent “One China” policy.

Tsai also promised that her new government would manage relations with China on the basis of the constitution, 20 years of cross-strait consultations and the “will of the people”. Observers say China is likely to adopt a wait-and-see approach to Tsai’s presidency but might use diplomatic and economy pressure if she is seen as straying too far from its unification agenda. After all, it’s 2016. “This is the choice of Taiwan’s people”. But the majority of voters in Taiwan itself were most concerned about the island’s poor economic situation.

Tsai said she is a fan of Korean dramas and food, in particular kimchi. The sides could be in for a lengthy wait as China assesses whether it feels it can trust Tsai.

While China had largely refrained on commenting about the election beforehand, its Taiwan Affairs Office responded swiftly to the result with a statement reiterating that it would deal only with those who agree that the “two sides of the strait belong to one China”. China will fight. Win or lose, Taiwan will be devastated.

“Regardless of the changes of Taiwan in the political sphere, China will remain committed to the “one China” principle and oppose Taiwanese independence”, said ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

“She has a responsibility to keep the peaceful development of cross-strait relations on track”, it said.

Taiwan, which had been a Japanese colony from 1895 to 1945, split from China in 1949.