Taiwan's New President
Good news for the United States and other supporters of the status-quo on the China-Taiwan independence issue: Taiwan has elected a President who favors closer ties to China.
The elections concluded on Saturday and awarded Ma Ying-jeou the winner. Ma actively and openly campaigned for a closer relationship between China and Taiwan. Furthermore, Ma's win was convincing, a near 17-point win with 75% voter turnout in Taiwan... a clear reflection of the Taiwanese people's wishes.
Ma's reasoning for closer relations was almost entirely economic, not political. He contends that a closer relationship with China is Taiwan's best option for recapturing the economic growth rates it enjoyed in the 90's.
Clearly, the most important issue to the majority of Taiwanese is not independence, it is their own financial position. Ma's win also reflects a strong rebound by the KMT Party after suffering losses in many important elections in the 21st century.
The elections concluded on Saturday and awarded Ma Ying-jeou the winner. Ma actively and openly campaigned for a closer relationship between China and Taiwan. Furthermore, Ma's win was convincing, a near 17-point win with 75% voter turnout in Taiwan... a clear reflection of the Taiwanese people's wishes.
Ma's reasoning for closer relations was almost entirely economic, not political. He contends that a closer relationship with China is Taiwan's best option for recapturing the economic growth rates it enjoyed in the 90's.
Clearly, the most important issue to the majority of Taiwanese is not independence, it is their own financial position. Ma's win also reflects a strong rebound by the KMT Party after suffering losses in many important elections in the 21st century.
posted by Brian Hoffman at 5:31 PM
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