Taiwan opposition triumphs in elections

TAIPEI, Taiwan (CNN) -- Taiwan voters overwhelmingly elected Nationalist Party candidate Ma Ying-jeou to be president on Saturday, apparently choosing the promise of economic growth through closer ties with China over fears that those ties to the mainland could lead to a loss of independence.

Supporters of Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou cheer.

Ma, whose campaign touted the economic benefits of better relations with China, defeated the Democratic Progressive Party's Frank Hsieh, who advocated going slower and holding back in some areas.

Taiwan's central election commission projected that Ma Ying-jeou had won more than 58 percent versus Frank Hsieh's 41 percent, with most of the votes counted.

His margin of victory was the largest in the history of Taiwan's presidential races.

Ma's vote total topped the 7 million mark, a point at which it would be mathematically impossible for him to lose, the commission said.

The commission estimated that 75 percent of Taiwan's eligible voters cast ballots in the presidential race.

"People want a clean a government instead of a corrupt one," Ma, also a former justice minister, told The Associated Press.

"They want a good economy, not a sluggish one. They don't want political feuding. They want peace across the Taiwan Strait. No war."

Hsieh, a former premier, conceded defeat in front of unhappy supporters, AP reported.

"Don't cry for me today," Hsieh said. "Although we lost the election, we have a more important mission. The torch of democracy should not be extinguished."

While Ma was considered the frontrunner throughout the campaign, the recent crackdown on anti-Chinese protests in Tibet was used by the opposition in an effort to convince voters that there was danger in dealing with China.

Hsieh, pointing to China's crackdown on Tibet, said the same thing could happen to Taiwan if it gets too close to Beijing. Ma disagreed.

"Taiwan is not Tibet. Neither it is Hong Kong. We are a sovereign country and a democratic country."

The mainland Chinese government has made clear that closer ties would only be a first step -- it considers Taiwan, on the island of Formosa southeast of the mainland, an inseparable part of China and constantly pushes for eventual reunification.

During the election, voters also voted down a referendum on Taiwan joining the United Nations.

President George W. Bush congratulated Ma on Saturday and said the United States would "maintain close unofficial ties" with Taiwan.

"The maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the welfare of the people on Taiwan remain of profound importance to the United States," Bush said in a statement.

"It falls to Taiwan and Beijing to build the essential foundations for peace and stability by pursuing dialogue through all available means and refraining from unilateral steps that would alter the cross-Strait situation.

"I believe the election provides a fresh opportunity for both sides to reach out and engage one another in peacefully resolving their differences." E-mail to a friend