Taiwan president's win is strong rebuff to China

Taiwan president's win is strong rebuff to China

By William Kazer

TAIPEI (Reuter): Taiwan's president won the mandate he wanted in the island's first presidential election as voters gave a strong rebuff to China, analysts said.

They added that Lee Teng-hui's margin of victory -- more than 50 percent in a four-way race -- was probably helped by a voter backlash against Beijing's live-fire war games and missile tests.

"After the election we should give (Chinese President) Jiang Zemin a medal," said a senior Nationalist party official. "He is a super campaign aide."

Before China began its campaign of threats, many polls put Lee in front with about 45 percent of the vote. Polls also showed many undecided voters and they may have been swayed by Beijing's hostile stance.

Lee had said in his campaign speeches that a solid showing at the ballot box would give him a strong hand in dealing with China in a number of key economic and political issues.

He will now have to decide on the pace of expanded economic ties with China, such as allowing direct air, shipping and postal links. Those are now indirect, mainly through Hong Kong.

Taiwan gave a strong hint that it would move in this direction, as Economics Minister Chiang Pin-kung said shortly after the vote that the island should now look for ways to ease tension with China.

He added that Taiwan should use its economic development experience to help China.

But the most sensitive of the China-related issues has been Taiwan's quest to raise its diplomatic profile.

China and Taiwan have been divided since the end of a civil war in 1949.

Lee's private visit to the United States last year triggered an angry reaction from China, with Beijing lashing out at Lee as promoting independence. Lee denies the charge.

"This shows that Lee Teng-hui does have a mandate," said Tsai Wen-hui, a sociology professor at Indiana University who is in Taiwan as part of a group of election observers.

"China has got to make concessions now," he said.

Other observers agreed.

"This definitely is a strong mandate -- more than 50 percent with four contenders," said Osman Tseng, a political commentator.

"This shows that most people in Taiwan support his policies, especially his mainland diplomacy. And this will enhance his position in negotiating with Beijing," said Tseng.

Analysts suggested that Lee may now make a statement on China policy at his inauguration on May 20. While Lee will not rush to reunify with the mainland, a high-profile statement reaffirming that reunification with China was the eventual goal might remove some of the current friction.

That could lead to a resumption of the semi-official talks on the direction of future ties. Beijing suspended the talks last summer in retaliation for Lee's visit to the United States. The election results also showed that there still is strong support for independence.

Peng Ming-min, the opposition candidate who openly supports separation for the island, captured about 21 percent of the presidential vote.

Analysts noted that many of Lee's supporters may also have been backers of independence.

"There seems to be a fairly strong cross-over vote," said Indiana University's Tsai.

Some voters who back the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party at the local level may have voted for Lee for president.

Dai Kuo-hsiung, a resident of the eastern city of Ilan, was one of them.

"I usually vote for the Democratic Progressive Party in local elections," he said. "But I voted for Lee Teng-hui for president because he will not let us reunify with the mainland."