Taiwan Plots Conciliatory Path on China After Ma's Election Victory

Taiwan's Nationalist president-elect has vowed to ensure his country is a "peacemaker" as he celebrates his substantial victory over his rival.

Ma Ying-jeou, a former mayor of the capital, Taipei, campaigned on building links with China. He has pledged to sign a peace treaty, start direct flights, allow more Chinese tourists and strengthen economic ties. He beat ex-premier Frank Hsieh, of the ruling Democratic Progressive party, by 58% to 42%.

Speaking after Saturday's vote, Ma said President Chen Shui-bian had often angered Beijing and Washington with provocative policies on China.

"I will make it crystal clear that Taiwan will be a stakeholder and will not rock the boat in the region. By stakeholder, I mean peacemaker," he said, promising to take a pragmatic approach.

The US president, George Bush, said the election provided a fresh opportunity for dialogue.

Ma argued that the DPP was preventing Taiwan from benefiting from its neighbor's astounding economic growth. Although thousands of Taiwanese companies have invested in China, there are restrictions in sensitive industries, such as finance.

But some observers said that disenchantment with the ruling DPP under Chen Shui-bian - who gained a reputation for economic mismanagement and tolerating corruption - played a greater part in Ma's victory.

Emile Sheng, a political scientist at Taipei's Soochow University, told the Associated Press: "This is not a signal that the Taiwanese people want unification or that they like Ma's party."

That could constrain Ma's freedom to negotiate with the Chinese government, despite his huge margin of victory.

He also had to toughen his rhetoric following the unrest in Tibet, as Hsieh suggested he might fail to safeguard the island's autonomy.

Ma said he would consider boycotting the Beijing Olympics over Tibet, telling reporters: "If the situation in Tibet worsens, we would consider the possibility of not sending athletes to the Games."

But analysts believe such a move is unlikely because it would endanger his overall program.