Taiwan elects 1st female president, rejects pro-China party

Taiwan elected Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president Saturday, handing her pro-independence party its first majority in the national legislature and rejecting the China-friendly party that has led the self-governing island for eight years

Good. So long as Taiwan remains functionally independent, China is contained all along its seaboard.

China "disappearing" those they don't like in nominally autonomous Hong Kong didn't help either

Taiwan was a Japanese colony from 1885 to 1945

Actually 1895 to 1945.

Congratulations to the people of Taiwan, the only Chinese democracy on this planet!

The food on Taiwan rocks. Good to see them elect a woman. Japan?

Great news for Taiwan, a country I greatly admire. It always amuses me when the Chinese talk about Taiwan.

Taiwan should not declare independence they say. Looks pretty independent to me, let me see, they have their own border controls, parliament, military, currency, passports.

What the people want is how it should be. I wonder how many people in China want to be like Taiwan if given the freedom to vote?

Omg yes the dates are 1895 to 1945 when japan ran taiwan as a colony, a fifty year period. I cannot believe that typo landed in print in an AP story. Mods please correct. Not 1885 but 1895. Do the math. I know both reporters christopher bodeen and ralph Jennings and I am emailing them right now. They are both friends Of mine from my Taipei days.

And how many centuries will it be before this is even on the table in Japan?

I second OssanAmerica's sentiment, a hearty Congratulations to the people of Taiwan, a proud and strong Democracy with Chinese characters, free, independent, in control of their own destiny; a beacon for those suffering under dictatorial regimes everywhere. Best of luck to you! - Joe Quinn, New York City

Really astounding that China is so obsessed with the small island of Taiwan. Taiwan should continue to stick a finger in the eye of the Chinese government.

Omg yes the dates are 1895 to 1945 when japan ran taiwan as a colony, a fifty year period. I cannot believe that typo landed in print in an AP story. Mods please correct.

I guess it all depends how you define colony and colonization. If you take the view that the Senkaku Islands were part of Taiwan at the time, it might not be inaccurate to say that 1885 is the date that the colonization of Taiwan began (albeit not the entire country until 1895).

@m3, all textbooks and wiki page state 1895-1945. I live in Taiwan. Just heard from main reporter on this typo. He said " thanks for alerting us, dan. We've corrected it now. Must have been garbled in the editing process". hat tip to Laguna above for first pointing typo out.

Accuracy is obviously important. But when you consider the enormous significance of what has been happening in Taiwan, the Sunflower movement, the change in Taiwan citizen's sense of being "Taiwanese" rather than "Chinese", the fact that China has stated that they would ever allow Taiwan independence, that they lobbed missiles around Taiwan before the 1996 elections causing the US to send in two Carrier Groups, a typo or small error in dates in the article hardly seem significant. Yes 1895 is the correct year. But this victory by Tsai Ing-Wen is a step closer to Taiwan independence, an event on a par with North Korea's alleged H-bomb test in terms of importance to the region. I tend to think that an individual who "lives in Taiwan" would have much more to say than getting bent out of shape over an error in dates.

But this victory by Tsai Ing-Wen is a step closer to Taiwan independence

I'm afraid not - it is further retrenchment of the status quo. China may allow defacto ROC independence but not dejure and likely will not during at least my lifetime.It would also be reckless to advocate for it, considering that the status quo is not too bad and war would be catastrophic.

Congratulations to the Taiwanese people for having the courage to stand up for themselves, and not accept further bullying from people who have no business telling them what to do and how to act.

Congratulations to the people of Taiwan, the only Chinese democracy on this planet!

Singapore.

Anyway, congratulation. Taiwan need to break up from the communist country. China is a disgrace to all other Chinese people.

This is all fun except when the issue of economics comes.....

This whole news remind me of the cold war between the USA and the Soviet Union over countries in Latin America. Let Taiwan enjoy its right to be independent if it wants to.

The world sees Hong Kong and Tibet as bad examples of how Beijing treats those who return to the fold. What freedoms and prosperity Taiwan has enjoyed since the 1940s would likely be thrown away under the Chinese dictatorship. If China was not so militant and dictatorial, it would be more attractive to Taiwan.

What freedoms and prosperity Taiwan has enjoyed since the 1940s would likely be thrown away under the Chinese dictatorship

In the 1940s, Taiwan was a Japanese colony, and then later overthrown by Chiang Kaishek's (practically a dictator) KMT. Taiwan under both Imperial Japan and KMT/ROC had stuff like massacres and etc happen. Your 1940s scenario is a "bad example" of the freedoms and prosperity Taiwan enjoyed. Wrong era to highlight, to be honest. In this day and age, since Taiwan's economy relies quite a bit on China's, freedoms and prosperity would be compromised as well. It's just the reality of being an island.

Congratulations to Taiwan. Self-governing and functionally independent, may she remain that way. I find Taiwan's culture more authentic and Chinese than its watered-down, Communist-inspired neighbor's across the strait. A great place to visit for the food and the sights as well.

If Taiwan wants to leave, Russia would support them.

Um....Taiwan passport says Republic of China (Taiwan). That's the official name. So they are still China afterall except geographically it is on the island of Taiwan. Good election there. We shall see what Tsai can achieve besides winning the election. Lee, Chen and Ma before Tsai all won the election by a landslide but ended with unhappy endings (bad economy and/or corrupted government).

I'm with Taiwan on this one. They are to all intents and purposes an independent country - and should be left alone to make their own choices

Stupid, the real problem is economy! KMT kicked out of the office because of bad economy and society/ generation difference in terms of revenue... etc. KMT was like zombie facing the problem so young people can't put up with them anymore! All other problems mentioned above might be there but only minors! I'm so happy DPP and Tsai won this time however like all other Taiwanese, we'll keeping watching DPP if they could solve Taiwan's problem mentioned above! anyway if they can't do it, they might step down again and this is so called democracy!

People of Taiwan spoke very clearly that they do not want to be victims of next HongKong. Job well done!!. I am very hopeful for the people in Taiwan. Gambatte!