China warns of ‘complex changes’ in Taiwan election year

On Wednesday, China announced that a new hotline had been inaugurated with Taiwan in an effort to build trust between the longtime rivals, and maintain the peace across the narrow strait that divides them.

“The ship of cross-strait peaceful development will encounter terrifying waves or could even capsize”, Ma Xiaogang, spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office told a news conference.

In a New Year message carried by the first issue of “Cross-Strait Relations” magazine, Zhang said the year 2015 has witnessed steady progress in ties between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, and people from both sides have benefited from the important progress.

Relations have improved rapidly since Ma Ying-jeou became Taiwan president in 2008, and the two have signed a series of landmark trade and tourism deals.

While it has yet to comment directly on the election, Beijing, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, is watching developments closely.

Xi and Ma met in Singapore in November in the first meeting between leaders across the Taiwan Strait since 1949, turning a historic page in cross-Strait relations.

BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday warned of a serious disruption of ties with Taiwan as the island’s voters appear set to elect a new president with a far more skeptical view of dealings with Beijing.

According to Reuters, the hotline was a measure agreed upon between the two parties following the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. China reacted angrily earlier this month at the latest USA plans to sell Taiwan weapons.

Taiwan’s independence-leaning opposition Democratic Progressive Party is expected to win January’s presidential election.

While Tsai’s DPP backs Taiwan’s formal independence — something Beijing says it will respond to with force — she has repeatedly stated her commitment to maintaining the status quo.