Pro-China Party Wins in Taiwan

Prez candidates favor warmer relations, despite Tibet violence

(NEWSER) - Both candidates in Taiwan's presidential election Saturday favor mending fences with China, the Wall Street Journal reports. Beijing has recently eased its once-blustery rhetoric over the breakaway island, and both Taiwanese parties are betting that closer ties with the mainland's booming economy could help pull theirs out of a slump. More»

Ma Ying-jeou promises 'sovereignty,' more economic ties with mainland

(NEWSER) - Taiwan has re-elected President Ma Ying-jeou, in a move that might make China smile, but not so fast: Ma says he's more interested in building economic ties with the mainland than re-unifying, reports Bloomberg . Ma won a second term in yesterday's elections, beating the pro-independence opposition candidate 51.6% to 45.6%. Ma's Kuomintang Party also maintained majority control of Taiwan's parliament, although it lost 17 seats overall. More»

Otherwise, 'our relations will suffer constant trouble or even tension'

(NEWSER) - Hu Jintao is willing to make diplomatic nice-nice on all facets of US-China relations—with two important exceptions, reports the Christian Science Monitor . Taiwan and Tibet. Both "concern China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and they represent China's core interests," he told US business leaders today. "We should treat each other with respect." Or as the CSM translates: "Butt out." More»

(AP) - Taiwan has agreed to let the Dalai Lama visit the island to comfort survivors of a devastating typhoon, a decision that could anger China. Beijing considers the Buddhist spiritual leader a "splittist" for promoting autonomy in the Chinese region of Tibet. Allowing him to visit Taiwan could undermine the rapidly improving relations between Beijing and Taipei, which have been developing close business ties after decades of enmity. More»

Despite advances, self-governing island still suspects Beijing

(NEWSER) - The president of Taiwan dismissed any possible peace talks with China in the near future, saying that tension remains too high to discuss political or military issues. The comment came after Wen Jiabao, the Chinese prime minister, called for new cross-Strait discussions at his annual address to the Beijing legislature. "At this stage, we will only talk about economic and trade issues," said the Taiwan president's office. More»