Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party has secured an unprecedented third term, as candidate Lai Ching-te won a tight race with 40.1% of the vote, beating out two rivals who favor closer ties with the People’s Republic of China.
“A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Saturday commented on the outcomes of Taiwan leadership and legislature elections.
Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said the results reveal that the Democratic Progressive Party cannot represent the mainstream public opinion on the island.
Noting that Taiwan is China's Taiwan, Chen said that the elections will not change the basic landscape and development trend of cross-Strait relations, will not alter the shared aspiration of compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to forge closer ties, and will not impede the inevitable trend of China's reunification.
‘Our stance on resolving the Taiwan question and realizing national reunification remains consistent, and our determination is as firm as rock’, Chen said.
‘We will adhere to the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle and firmly oppose the separatist activities aimed at Taiwan independence as well as foreign interference’, Chen said.
He said the mainland will work with relevant political parties, groups and people from various sectors in Taiwan to boost cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, enhance cross-Strait integrated development, jointly promote Chinese culture, and advance the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations as well as the cause of national reunification”. -Xinhua
Being that the current vice president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, is set to succeed incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen, who is due to step down at the end of her second consecutive term in May, it’s expected that he plans to continue Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party’s policy of shying away from making any open declarations of Taiwanese independence while maintaining the status quo by actively resisting Beijing’s sovereignty claims.