Seen as a barometer before presidential elections in 2016, the poll results may now force the KMT to re-examine its China policy — and encourage the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is traditionally Beijing-skeptic.
“The KMT are not likely to push the ties (with China) forward if they hope not to suffer another huge setback in the 2016 presidential race,” Ding Shuh-fan, a professor at National Chengchi University in Taipei, said.
“At the same time China is also unlikely to make concessions and offer substantial economic benefits in talks” given the prospect of the DPP taking power in 2016, Ding added.
“It would be hard for cross-strait ties to move forward in the year ahead.”
More @ Japan Times
The elections, being local ones, were more about such issues as urban development rather than relations with China. Candidates sought to win over voters with plans for building infrastructure and public housing. But the poll did reflect widespread dissatisfaction with Mr Ma’s handling of the economy, says George Tsai of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. Salaries have stagnated for years and there is a widespread belief that only Taiwan’s business elite is reaping the economic rewards of closer ties with China. (Mr Ma has signed 21 agreements with China, including a ground-breaking free-trade pact in 2010.) This view is particularly prevalent among Taiwanese youth, who were at the forefront of an occupation of the legislature that lasted more than three weeks in the spring. The failure of Mr Ma’s government to prevent a series of food scandals has also upset many.
More @ The Economist
The defeat of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, or the Nationalist Party, in Saturday’s elections — where it lost nine cities and counties, including its long-time strongholds Taipei, the capital, and the major central city of Taichung — led to the resignation of Premier Jiang Yi-huah, who heads the Cabinet. President Ma Ying-jeou has promised to make changes.
The election losses could jeopardise six years of talks with China that have led to 21 agreements, helping to lift Taiwan’s US$500 billion (S$652 billion) economy, while raising Beijing’s hopes for political reunification. Beijing has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, but since taking office in 2008, Mr Ma has set aside old disputes to ease tensions through talks.
A top Chinese official on Saturday night urged people in Taiwan to protect those gains. “We hope compatriots across the Strait will cherish hard-won fruits of cross-strait relations and jointly safeguard and continue to push forward peaceful development of cross-strait relations,” said Mr Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.
Taiwanese have been watching closely as Beijing takes a hard-line stance on demands for democratic rule in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city that has been gripped by more than two months of pro-democracy protests.More @ Today Online
"Before Occupy Central, more than 1,000 volunteers had signed up to help out outside polling stations. But later the Central Election Commission told us to find 1,583 people within five days to supervise vote-counting inside the stations. At that time we thought it was an impossible task for an independent candidate.
"But coincidentally, Occupy Central started in Hong Kong. We posted recruitment notices on the BBS [bulletin board system] of the National Taiwan University. Within just three days, our volunteer team expanded to 3,000-strong ... We feel there were mutual influences between Taipei and Hong Kong students."
More @ SCMP
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