Taiwanese Opposition Victoy

Taiwan's opposition KMT, Nationalist Party, claimed victory today in the country's presidential elections making Ma Ying-jeou the country's next president.

While the country's relationship to China has dominated much Taiwan's politics in past elections, a majority of voters in this election said they were most concerned with domestic issues.

The KMT took power in 1959 after losing in the Chinese Civil War and retreating to Taiwan. They ruled Taiwan with an iron fist until the late '80's and were finally democratically elected in 1996. The DPP, known for their pro-independence policies, took over in the 2000 elections and stayed in power ever since.

Ma has pledged closer ties with the Chinese mainland, but has expressed that Taiwan would not be ready to reunify with China until the mainland becomes more democratic. Ma does plan on opening more economic ties to the mainland.

The KMT victory comes as good news for Beijing which faces enough scrutiny with the recent violence in Tibet and the coming 2008 Olympic games.



See how the opposition victory is getting covered in Taiwan:
Taiwan News
Taipei Times
The China Post