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."