Japan on Saturday renewed its call for dialogue between China and Taiwan following Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou's (
In a statement after the result was confirmed, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said: "Japan hopes that the issue surrounding Taiwan will be resolved peacefully by direct dialogue between the parties concerned on the Taiwan Straits [sic] and that dialogue will resume soon for that purpose."
The foreign minister insisted that Japan's diplomatic relations with China remained unchanged, saying: "It intends to maintain Japan-Taiwan relations as a working relationship on a non-governmental basis."
Singapore had similar views.
"We welcome the successful conclusion of Taiwan's presidential election ... and congratulate Dr Ma Ying-jeou on his election," a foreign ministry spokesman said late on Saturday.
"We look forward to better cross-strait relations," the spokesman said in a statement.
"We urge all parties to take advantage of this new opportunity to resume dialogue and work towards greater peace and prosperity in the region," he said.
Meanwhile, Beijing welcomed the failure of the Democratic Progressive Party-sponsored referendum, which asked whether Taiwan should apply to enter the UN under the name "Taiwan."
"[President] Chen Shui-bian's [陳水扁] administration put forth a referendum to join the United Nations under the name `Taiwan,' but that referendum has failed, which goes to show that the people are not in favor of those who advocate Taiwan independence," Li Weiyi (李維一), spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told Taiwanese reporters in Beijing.
Beijing's major newspapers yesterday gave accounts of the referendums, putting them ahead of the election results, indicating the Chinese Communist Party views the failed vote favorably.
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