Taiwanese Election Result Sends a Strong Message

By Sam Ferguson / January 25, 2016;

Tsai Ing-Wen became Taiwan’s first female President

Tsai Ing-wen has been elected President of Taiwan following a significant victory for her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The DPP are a pro-independence party. The ousted Kuomintang (KMT) Party favour stronger ties with mainland China and commentators have suggested that the result may spell the end of China’s hopes for reunification with Taiwan by means other than war. Taiwan has been independent from China since 1949. China views eventual reunification as the basis for any future negotiations and has continued to threaten invasion despite outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou’s efforts to strengthen relations with the mainland.

In response,Tsai Ing-wen has stated categorically that the basis of Taiwan’s relationship with China will be the will of the Taiwanese people, saying “I also want to emphasise that both sides of the Taiwanese Strait have a responsibility to find mutually acceptable means of interaction that are based on dignity and reciprocity…We must ensure that no provocations or accidents take place”.

Chinese Facebook users have defied the “Great Firewall of China”, which blocks use of the social media website, to troll the newly elected Tsai Ing-wen with vicious messages.According to reports, Chinese authorities have blocked Tsai Ing-wen’s account on Sina Weibo, which is the Chi

nese version of Twitter. Searches for Tsai Ing-wen’s name on Weibo, China’s biggest search engine, have also been blocked.

The Taiwanese election result has been celebrated by the Tibetan community in exile. The International Tibet Network coordinator, Tensing Jigdal, said “This is once again a victory for the people of Taiwan. As a comparatively young country and a democracy, Taiwan continues to remain a significant example and the victory today delivers a strong message to its neighbouring nations”.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who met Tsai Ing-wen in 2009,spoke of his happiness at the result, saying “It is indeed encouraging to see how firmly rooted democracy has become in Taiwan. It is a model and source of inspiration to those who aspire for freedom and accountable leadership. As someone dedicated to promoting democracy, I salute what the people of Taiwan have accomplished”.