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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Pro-Independence Parties Defeated in Taiwan |
| 2004-12-12 |
| Supporters of closer relations with Beijing won a surprise victory in legislative elections here today, as voters appeared to reject President Chen Shui-bian's increasingly forceful calls in the past two weeks for greater Taiwanese independence from mainland China... President Chen's last-minute tilt was partly successful: while polls just a few days ago showed the Taiwan Solidarity Union expanding its delegation in the legislature to as many as 20, from 13 in the last election, the final vote on Saturday showed that the party wound up with only 12 seats. But the Democratic Progressive Party itself fared much worse than expected, picking up only two seats to claim 89. The Nationalist Party gained 11 seats, for a total of 79, while the even more pro-Beijing People First Party lost 12 seats, retaining only 34 seats, and the New Party kept its only seat. Independents kept all 10 seats they previously had. Typical NYT spin: He didn't win, because he didn't win as much as the polls said he would. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #1 The people of Taiwan want to reunify with mainland China BUT NOT UNDER COMMUNISM. I believe the effort of Chen Bian will not be seriously affected, as many in the DPP's opposition are tired of accom mainland China andor Chinese Communism. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2004-12-12 11:04:27 PM |