Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je suggests Beijing recognise island as independent democracy

Taipei's maverick mayor Ko Wen-je, one of Taiwan's most senior and popular politicians, sparked heavy criticism yesterday after saying Beijing should recognise the island as an independent democracy.

Taiwan split from the mainland in 1949 after a civil war but Beijing still considers the island part of its territory.

Fears over warming ties with the mainland have sparked mass protests in Taiwan and led to the trouncing of the ruling Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party at local polls in November.

But politicians still tend to tread a diplomatic line, recognising Beijing as an essential trading partner. Ko broke with that etiquette in an interview with the US magazine Foreign Policy.

"Cooperation is more important than reunification. If reunification is achieved without cooperation, it will be meaningless," he said. "We have to convince mainland China that a free and democratic Taiwan is more in [mainland] China's interest than reunification."

Ko questioned the mainland's "one China" policy.