Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou says his second-term election victory will allow for smoother ties with mainland China.
The incumbent president claimed victory in Saturday's vote, telling throngs of supporters gathered at his election headquarters, “We have won.” His rival, opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen conceded defeat and apologized to her Democratic Progressive Party members.
President Ma also told supporters that relations with China during his second four-year term will be “more peaceful, with greater mutual trust and the chance of conflict will be less.”
China's official Xinhua news agency said Mr. Ma's victory could offer a “new opportunity” to improve relations and showed the Taiwanese people had backed peaceful development of ties with the mainland.
The election was also closely watched in the United States.
U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated Mr. Ma his the victory in a statement Saturday. He said that improved relations between Taiwan and China, “are of profound importance” to the United States.
Taiwan's election officials say Mr. Ma had almost 52 percent of the vote, compared to almost 46 percent for Ms. Tsai. The ruling Kuomintang party also won 64 out of 113 seats in parliament.
Ms. Tsai, who was attempting to become Taiwan's first female leader, also announced she was stepping down as party leader.
Taiwan broke away from the mainland in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war in which Mao Zedong's communists defeated the nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek. Relations between the two sides were strained until Mr. Ma became president in 2008 and focused on forging economic ties with mainland China.
The U.S. is obliged by law to support Taiwan in the event of any hostilities with China. Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway Chinese province and has threatened to use military force in the event of a declaration of independence.
SOUNDBITES (from ASIA-JAN14-TAIWAN-ELECTION RESULT):
11. (English) TAIWANESE PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU SAYING:
“My support rate is over 51 percent. Obviously people
approve of my cross strait policy. That doesn't mean that I
will go even faster. I will control the pace to make sure
that people can support it. This is exactly what I did in
the last three years.''
20. (Mandarin) TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, TSAI ING-WEN, SAYING:
“The policies and ideas we proposed will continue to play
an important role in Taiwan's future development. And most
importantly, the forces we have united cannot be ignored,
cannot be defeated or disappear. Please don't give up.
There must be opposing voices in Taiwan.''
3. (Mandarin) 38-YEAR-OLD DPP SUPPORTER, YE JHI-HAO, SAYING:
“Because the DPP advocates for Taiwan's sovereignty and
independence. It takes care of the disadvantaged groups in
Taiwan instead of leaning towards big corporations and
giving up Taiwan's sovereignty. So I will continue to
support the DPP, no matter what.''
SOUNDBITES (from ASIA-JAN14-TAIWAN-MA VICTORY SPEECH/TSAI):
1. TAIWAN PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU, SAYING (Mandarin): (OVERLAY IN THE BEGINNING)
“Congratulations everyone. We have won!''
2.TAIWAN PRESIDENT MA YING-JEOU, SAYING (Mandarin):
“In the next four years, cross-strait relations will be
more peaceful, with greater mutual trust and the chance of
conflict will be less. I must let Taiwan have a
long-lasting environment of peace and stability. What do
you think?''
3. DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY CHAIRWOMAN, TSAI ING-WEN SAYING (Mandarin):
“In regards to the failure of the 2012 presidential
election, I want to offer my greatest apology. We admit
defeat and are willing to accept the decisions made
Taiwanese in this election. I want to congratulate
President Ma. I hope in the next four years he will listen
to the voice of the people. Use his heart to lead, use
equality to look after every single person, do not let down
the expectations of the people.''
4. DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY CHAIRWOMAN, TSAI ING-WEN SAYING (Mandarin):
“As for the responsibility of the loss, I will be the
sole bearer. I hereby announce I will quit the position as
the party chief of Democratic Progressive Party. The next
party chief will insist on DPP's reform and transform. And
lead everyone further on.''
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