Victory for Taiwan’s Nationalist Partｙ
Taiwan’s Nationalist Party, the Guomindang (國民黨, GMD, or KMT in the old rominazition system) seems to have done a tidy job of sweeping though Taiwan’s recent elections. Most American’s who remember the GMD from the histories should recall that it was the GMD who was forced out of China by the Communist Party in 1949. The appreciable irony is, though, that the GMD’s victory could mean an easing of tensions between the two nations (notice my bias).
The reason for this is because a strong victory for the GMD this year could carry into the 2008 presidential election. Since 2000, the office of president has been occupied by Chen Shui-bian (the circumstances of who’s re-election are quite fascinating) of the Democratic Progressive Party (民進黨, or Min Jin Dang). While in office, Chen has been remarkably vocal in his desire to see an independent Taiwan.
Should the GMD grab the presidency in 2008 and advance its holdings of legislative seats a more cooperative Taiwan may emerge at a time when China’s rising economic power gives a bonus to friendly relations
