Tsai holds firm on China issue

– Taiwan’s policy of maintaining the status quo with China won’t change, despite a drubbing at local elections for the ruling party, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday.

She added that democracy was the biggest difference with China.

The pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) suffered a serious setback at last Saturday’s polls, losing key cities in mayoral elections to China-friendly opposition party Kuomintang, including former DPP stronghold Kaohsiung.

China has put pressure on Tsai since she took office in 2016, believing she wishes to push for the island’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing which claims self-ruled Taiwan. – Reuters