Taiwan elects first female president: A step toward independence from China?
Taiwan has elected its first female president.
Tsai Ing-wen, who leads the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), won 56 percent of the vote Saturday, compared to her main opponent鈥檚 31 percent. Her party also gained control of the legislature for the first time.
The real significance of this victory may yet lie in the impact it has on self-ruled Taiwan鈥檚 relationship with mainland China: the DPP is the main pro-independence party.
鈥淭he results today tell me the people want to see a government that is , that is more transparent and accountable and a government that is more capable of leading us past our current challenges and taking care of those in need,鈥� Ms. Tsai told reporters, according to the New York Times.
Tsai becomes only the second member of her party to hold the presidential office. The DPP did so under Chen Shui-bian from 2000 to 2008.
The 2016 election was contested on issues surrounding Taiwan鈥檚 relationship with mainland China, government transparency, social justice, and the economy.
Tsai, who earned advanced degrees in the United States and the United Kingdom, , ending the 鈥渙ld politics of intimidation and confrontation鈥�, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Her main opponent, Eric Chu of the Nationalists, said he had 鈥渄isappointed everyone鈥�, as he acknowledged the results. 鈥淲e lost. 鈥�
Tsai now finds herself in one of Asia鈥檚 most delicate and challenging positions, balancing the democratic will of the Taiwanese people and the aspirations of mainland China, which makes no secret of its desire to absorb Taiwan.
The stakes are high, with hundreds of Chinese missiles trained on the island and the United States having undertaken commitments regarding Taiwan鈥檚 defense.
Yet Tsai is not an ardent advocator of independence, in spite of her party鈥檚 charter calling for a break from the mainland. She strikes a more nuanced position on the issue.
While she makes no pretence of supporting the 鈥渙ne China鈥� doctrine embraced by both the mainland and the Nationalist opposition, she has given assurances that she intends to uphold the 鈥渟tatus quo鈥� with China, as 海角大神 reported.
This is a marked shift from the previous stint of DPP power, when the pro-independence line was aggressively pursued, to the irritation of China and the discomfort of the United States.
Not only does a more balanced approach represent prudence, but it also reflects the will of the Taiwanese people: Centrist voters, who constitute a far bigger portion of the electorate than strident advocates of independence, have no desire to undo the current modus operandi with China.
Indeed, 70 percent of Taiwan鈥檚 population support self-rule without official independence, according to a 2014 government poll.
So, what does Tsai's win indicate? 聽
In her victory speech, Tsai urged both sides (China and Taiwan) to show 鈥�,鈥� and she vowed to be a force for peace and stability in the region, reported the BBC.
As for China, although searches for Tsai鈥檚 name and 鈥淭aiwan elections鈥� were blocked on the Twitter-like service Weibo Saturday evening, the state news agency Xinhua insisted in Taiwan鈥檚 election and would focus instead on cross-strait relations.
