Taiwan Ballot Boosts Links With Mainland

More than a decade of tension between Taiwan and mainland China looked set to ease yesterday with the victory of Nationalist party candidate Ma Ying-jeou in the island's presidential election. Despite a last-minute attempt by Frank Hsieh of the Democratic People's Party, to exploit fears over China's crackdown on Tibetan unrest, voters put priority on improved business ties with the mainland, which they hope will galvanize an economy that has lagged behind many of its Asian neighbors.

Ma has promised to boost investment and trade ties, establish regular scheduled flights across the Taiwan strait and to negotiate a peace treaty between the two sides. With more than 99 per cent of the vote counted, Ma, a former mayor of Taipei, secured 58 per cent, while Hsieh lagged far behind with 42 per cent. Turnout was about 76 per cent.

Television images from his campaign headquarters showed jubilant supporters waving flags, cheering and setting off celebratory fireworks. In contrast to the tense, tightly fought election in 2004, the losing candidate conceded defeat relatively early.

The result is likely to prompt a change of tack in Taipei's policy towards Beijing. Ma has promised a break with the pro-independence stance of outgoing President Chen Shui-bian, who was detested by the mainland's Communist leadership. Chen was unable to stand again after serving the maximum two four-year terms. Ma has proposed a peace treaty that would demilitarize the strait, and said he would ease restrictions on investments in the mainland.

Opponents say Ma will concede too much of the self-ruled island's autonomy and democracy by cozying up to the authoritarian administration in Beijing.

The Chinese government has yet to comment on the result, though officials in Beijing have made little secret of their preference for Ma. In a brief report on the result, China's official Xinhua news agency said Ma had won the island's 'leadership election' - reflecting Beijing's refusal to recognize Taiwan's government.