Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1901300/why-elections-taiwan-matter-so-much-beijing-region-and-us
Comment/ Opinion

Why the elections in Taiwan matter so much – for Beijing, the region and the US

Jerome A. Cohen says a win for Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan’s presidential election will be a major test for the mainland leadership and may slow the progress of cross-strait trade agreements

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen shouts slogans during a campaign rally in Taichung, Taiwan, January 13, 2016. REUTERS/Olivia Harris

The anticipated turnout for Saturday’s presidential and legislative elections in Taiwan will be relatively modest compared with its great importance in so many respects.

A major question, of course, is whether – if the Democratic Progressive Party’s candidate Tsai Ing-wen wins – her administration can manage a smooth transition to the next stage of Taiwan’s relations with mainland China. Taiwan’s quickly evolving identity has yet to be adequately reflected in cross-strait relations, and it is time for intergovernmental relations to catch up with social progress on the island and its new demands.