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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/world/asia/13taiwan.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=world&pagewanted=print
The New York Times
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January 13, 2008
Opposition Wins Taiwan Parliamentary Election
By DAVID LAGUE
TAIPEI, Taiwan — The opposition Kuomintang party won a landslide victory
in parliamentary elections in Taiwan on Saturday. President Chen
Shui-bian, who has antagonized China with his efforts to forge a national
identity for the self-governing island, resigned as chairman of the
governing Democratic Progressive Party to take responsibility for the
loss.
The victory by the Kuomintang enhances its prospects of success at the
voting for president in March, in which it is expected to continue
campaigning for closer ties with China.
At the close of counting, the official Central Election Commission said
the Kuomintang had won 81 seats in the 113-seat Legislative Yuan, the
Democratic Progressive Party won 27 and the balance went to minor parties
and independents.
Almost 60 percent of the 17 million eligible voters turned out in the
first election under a new system in which the number of seats in the
chamber was halved in an effort to streamline lawmaking and improve the
quality of debate.
“It is the worst defeat since the founding of the D.P.P.,” said a somber
Mr. Chen. “I feel very sorry and ashamed.”
The Kuomintang’s candidate for president, Ma Ying-jeou, cautiously
welcomed the results, warning that the March race would still pose a
difficult challenge for the party.
“We must use this victory as a stepping stone to winning the presidential
election,” he said.
The outcome was widely interpreted as a clear repudiation of Mr. Chen’s
controversial policies aimed at shifting Taiwan toward independence.
His plan to hold a referendum at the time of the election for president on
a bid by the island to join the United Nations under the name of Taiwan
rather than its formal name, the Republic of China, predictably angered
Beijing.
It also drew unusually blunt criticism from the United States, Taiwan’s
most important military and political ally.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last month described the referendum as
a “provocative” move that would needlessly raise tension across the
Taiwan Strait without delivering any benefit for the Taiwanese people.
China, which is continuing a rapid military buildup opposite Taiwan,
regards the island as part of its territory and has refused to rule out
the use of force if it declares formal independence or indefinitely delays
steps toward unification.
Political analysts said voters were also disillusioned with Mr. Chen’s
economic management and parliamentary gridlock throughout his presidency.
Corruption scandals linked to his relatives had also hurt the party’s
image, analysts said.
The D.P.P.’s candidate for president, Frank Hsieh, who kept a relatively
low profile in campaigning for the legislature, faces an uphill battle in
the race against the popular and charismatic Mr. Ma.
Mr. Ma, a Harvard-trained lawyer, has said Taiwan needs a strong military
and close ties with the United States to counter the military threat from
China. But he favors avoiding confrontation with Beijing while allowing
closer economic ties.
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