Whoever wins, Beijing will be willing to talk
The new president elected by Taiwanese voters today is expected to engage Beijing in a bid to reduce the cross-strait tensions that have marked President Chen Shui-bian's eight years in office.
Kuomintang frontrunner Ma Ying-jeou and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party opponent, Frank Hsieh Chang-ting, have both made improved relations with Beijing part of their election platforms, with both candidates yesterday reiterating their promises to engage with the mainland.
'Compared with Chen Shui-bian, both Ma and Hsieh are more moderate in terms of cross-strait relations,' said George Tsai Wei, professor of political science at Chinese Culture University.
Mr Ma, 57, has called for the signing of a peace agreement with the mainland and expansion of economic and cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. Mr Hsieh, 61, has supported reconciliation with the mainland and relaxation of restrictions on economic exchanges.
Professor Tsai said those stances would make Beijing more willing to talk with Taiwan, regardless of which one becomes the island's leader.
Beijing has been repeatedly provoked by the pro-independence Mr Chen's words and deeds and refuses to deal with him.
Mr Chen, who is to step down in May, has infuriated the mainland by his classification of cross-strait relations as 'one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait'. His latest push for a referendum on joining the UN under the name Taiwan is seen by Beijing as a first step towards declaring independence.
President Hu Jintao told the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference this month that Beijing was willing to hold talks with any political parties in Taiwan, including those advocating independence.
'We are ready to have exchanges, dialogue, consultations and negotiations with any political parties in Taiwan, as long as they recognise that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China,' Mr Hu said. 'The negotiation will be conducted on an equal footing with completely open topics. There is nothing we can't talk about.'
But analysts said that Beijing would be more willing to deal with Mr Ma, despite it being irked by his recent sharp rhetoric against the mainland.
'Ma Ying-jeou has talked too tough in response to Premier Wen Jiabao's comments on cross-strait relations,' said Wang Kung-yi, a professor at Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies.
In an attempt to counter charges by Mr Hsieh that he might sell Taiwan out to the mainland if elected president, Mr Ma attacked comments by Mr Wen that Taiwan's future should be decided by people from both sides of the strait.
Despite that attack, Professor Wang said, Beijing would still prefer to deal with Mr Ma because of the DPP's support for independence, which would cramp Mr Hsieh's efforts to engage the mainland.
Strait trade
Bilateral trade between Taiwan and the mainland reached a new high last year
Total trade volume in US dollars was: $102.3b
