Taiwan pro-independence leader calls for more open dialogue with China
Reuters
Published Jun 02, 2015 05:25AM ET
Taiwan pro-independence leader calls for more open dialogue with China
TAIPEI (Reuters) - The presidential hopeful for Taiwan's pro-independence opposition party, Tsai Ing-wen, has called for a more sustainable and consistent relationship with China as she rallies U.S. government and business leaders for support.
The chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is on a 12-day, six-city visit to the United States to drum up support ahead of the island's presidential vote slated for January 2016.
Beijing is highly suspicious of the DPP, and its concerns about the pro-independence movement were exacerbated last year when thousands of young Taiwanese occupied the island's parliament in an unprecedented protest against a planned trade pact involving closer ties with the mainland.
In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Tsai wrote that "a more consistent and sustainable relationship with China will be a core goal of my administration".
"That requires open channels of communication, both with China's leadership and the Taiwanese people," said Tsai, who added that the massive sit-in demonstration in parliament was a result of local citizens feeling "left out of the discussion" about the future of ties between the two sides.
The protests were primarily driven by young Taiwanese suspicious about autocratic China's intentions surrounding the democratically-ruled island.
Following the protests, the ruling party Nationalists were routed in local elections in November.
Tsai's visit to the United States, the island's strongest ally, is seen as important to assuage concerns that a DPP-led government would increase tensions between Taiwan and China.
China deems Taiwan a renegade province to be retaken by force if necessary particular if it makes moves toward independence.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.