Taiwan warns China after Tsai’s landslide victory

Fireworks lit up the sky at the headquarters of Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party as thousands gathered to celebrate the historic win over the ruling China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT). In her first comments to media, Tsai warned that Chinese “suppression” would damage ties with the mainland. 

“Our democratic system, national identity and international space must be respected. Any forms of suppression will harm the stability of cross-strait relations,” she said. Support for Tsai has surged as voters have become increasingly uneasy about a recent rapprochement with China under outgoing KMT president Ma Ying-jeou. 

China sounds cautious: 

Beijing responded sternly to Tsai’s election, with foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei warning that “the Chinese government is rock-firm and will never tolerate any secessionist activity of ‘Taiwan independence’”. In a strongly-worded editorial, China’s official state news agency Xinhua said the DPP’s return to power “poses grave challenges to cross-Strait relations” and had “aroused concerns” about Taipei’s relationship with Beijing.