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China shrugs off Taiwan elections: ‘Reunification still inevitable’
Taiwan Election Results: China said that the results showed the Democratic Progressive Party cannot represent mainstream public opinion on the island.
China's Taiwan Affairs office said that the victory of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party candidate William Lai Ching-te in the presidential elections would not change the basic landscape of cross strait relations. Spokesperson Chen Binhua said that the results showed the Democratic Progressive Party cannot represent mainstream public opinion on the island, as per news agency Reuters.
China affirmed that its reunification with Taiwan was "inevitable", despite the election of independence-leaning William Lai as the vote "will not impede the inevitable trend of China's reunification", the spokesperson said repeating remarks made by China's president Xi Jinping who had said in his New Year's address that the "unification" of Taiwan with China was "inevitable".
Read more: Taiwan's president-elect on China: ‘We can become friends, don’t have to…'
Taiwan's new president-elect, William Lai Ching-te, is likely to face his toughest task yet as he takes office in May amid China threats as Beijing has repeatedly denounced him as a dangerous separatist. Although William Lai said, even during his campaign that he wanted to keep the status quo with China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own and William Lai has offered to talk to Beijing.
"We don't want to become enemies with China. We can become friends," William Lai, said.
China lashed out against Taiwan's president-elect William Lai Ching-te vowing that Beijing would not tolerate "separatist activities" in the island.
"We will adhere to the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle and firmly oppose the separatist activities aimed at 'Taiwan independence' as well as foreign interference," Beijing said.
What William Lai said on his election victory?
William Lai Ching-te said, “I want to thank the Taiwanese people for writing a new chapter in our democracy. We are telling the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will stand on the side of democracy.”
"The Taiwanese people have successfully resisted efforts from external forces to influence this election," he added.
“We are determined to safeguard Taiwan from continuing threats and intimidation from China”, he asserted, continuing, "I will act... in a manner that is balanced and maintain the cross-strait status quo.”
