Taiwan Premier Quits After Vote Loss, Urges to Protect China Ties

The Prime Minister of Taiwan, Jiang Yi-huah, has resigned after his ruling pro-China Nationalist, or Kuomintang (KMT), party lost in nine cities, including the capital of Taipei; but urges to protect the gains in relations with Beijing.

MOSCOW, November 30 (Sputnik) –  The Prime Minister of Taiwan, Jiang Yi-huah, has resigned after his ruling pro-Beijing Nationalist, or Kuomintang (KMT), party has been defeated in local elections.

The party lost in nine cities including the capital of Taipei and another major city — Taichung.

President Ma Ying-jeou promised to make changes and reshuffle the cabinet.

"I must express apologies to the Nationalist Party and its supporters for making everyone disappointed," AP quotes Ma as saying at a news conference. "I've received the message people have sent via these elections. It's my responsibility and I will quickly offer a party reform plan to address everyone's demands. I won't avoid responsibility."

The current vote has been widely seen as a barometer on relations with China and could jeopardize the six years of negotiations with Beijing, which resulted in 21 agreements between the self-ruled island and the mainland, AP reports on Sunday.

Beijing has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan ever since the Chinese civil war of the 1940s, but after taking office in 2008, Ma has set aside the old disputes to ease tensions through talks.

A top Chinese official on Saturday night urged the people of Taiwan to protect those gains.

"We hope compatriots across the Strait will cherish hard-won fruits of cross-strait relations, and jointly safeguard and continue to push forward peaceful development of cross-strait relations," AP quotes Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, as saying.

The heavy losses are now expected to make it tougher for Ma's Nationalists to hold onto the presidency in 2016.