Taiwan elects first female president, rejects pro-China party

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan elected Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president Saturday, handing her pro-independence party its first majority in the national legislature and rejecting the China-friendly party that has led the self-governing island for eight years.

Voters concerned that Taiwan’s economy is under threat from China and broadly opposed to Beijing’s demands for political unification resoundingly chose Tsai over the Nationalists’ Eric Chu, a late replacement for his party’s original candidate, who was seen as alienating voters.

The result should be unsettling to China, which may respond by further reducing Taipei’s already limited ability to win diplomatic allies.

In a statement issued after Tsai’s win, the Chinese Cabinet’s body for handling Taiwan affairs reaffirmed its opposition to Taiwan independence, but said it would work to maintain peace between the two sides.

“Our will is as strong as a rock, our attitude unswerving on the principal matter of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Taiwan Affairs Office said.

Tsai said her victory was a further show of how ingrained democracy has become on Taiwan and showed its people wish for a government “steadfast in protecting this nation’s sovereignty.” She too pledged to maintain the status quo with China.

She said she would correct the policy mistakes of the past, but warned: “The challenges that Taiwan faces will not disappear in one day.”

“We share with the Taiwan people a profound interest in the continuation of cross-Strait peace and stability,” U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.