2016년 대만 대선- 차이잉원 정부의 출범과 양안관계 전망

Abstract

In the 2016 Presidential election in Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party was elected Taiwan’s president by a wide margin. Even in the legislative election, Democratic Progressive Party has become the largest party by itself having the majority of seats. For the first time in the political history of Taiwan, the DPP has succeeded in “total governance.” The result seems to have been caused by strengthening of the Taiwanese identity in Taiwan society in the background. Although the stability and peace in the Cross-strait relations have been maintained for 8 years (2008-2016) under the Ma Ying-Jeou administration, the socio-economic problems became much more serious and Taiwan’s economic dependence on China got intensified. This contributed to produce antipathy to excessive pro-China policy in Taiwan society. President-elect Tsai Ing-wen will be more concerned with public opinion in Taiwan society internally than accept “the 1992 consensus” that China asks to Taiwan. But externally Tsai Ing-wen made promises that the new government would make an effort to maintain the status quo of Cross-strait relations by having dialogue with China continuously without provoking it in order not to have any unexpected situation. By reviewing and evaluating Tsai Ing-wen’s statements during the election, we can ratiocinate new Taiwan government will stably pursue the status quo rather than any special improved relationship with China after the Democratic Progressive Party in power.