The resounding defeat last weekend of Taiwan's ruling pro-Beijing Nationalist Party in local elections caused a top Chinese official to call for continuing cross-Strait negotiations.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said China hoped "compatriots across the Strait will cherish hard-won fruits for cross-strait relations, and jointly safeguard and continue to push forward peaceful development of cross-strait relations."

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The Nationalist Party, known historically as Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang, KMT, or National People's Party, ruled Taiwan through the 1990s. It staged a comeback under President Ma Ying-jeou with a three-no's policy referring to no unification, no independence and no military confrontation.

The KMT, like the mainland Communist Party, believes in a "One China Policy." The difference is the KMT believes the Republic of China, where Chiang and his allies fled following their 1949 Civil War defeat, not the People's Republic of China, is the legitimate government of China.

Be that as it may, the Nationalist Party was swept out of office in nine cities and counties, including power bases like the capital city, Taipei, and Taichung, the third largest city with nearly three million people. Premier Jian Yi-huah resigned from his post leading the Cabinet and Ma vowed to make immediate changes.

Fear from the mainland side and its advocates on the island of Taiwan centers on possible loss of momentum generated through six years of negotiations that have resulted in 21 agreements. Those agreements have led the way to a revitalized Taiwanese $500 billion economy. On the other side, Beijing continues to look for political reunification.

Ma has pushed for greater cooperation, so his party's massive repudiation has shaken up the process. Taiwanese closely monitoring China's response to pro-democracy Hong Kong protestors appear to have sent Ma a message they were wary of closer mainland ties.

Apologizing to supporters and party members following the election, Ma said he had "received the message people have sent via these elections," adding he would quickly offer a party reform plan.

Top opposition Democratic Progressive Party politicians picked up seven offices in the elections. The party wants to maintain talks with the mainland, but wants those talks removed from Beijing and taken to an international venue. Supporters agreed the election had a message, namely that they wanted to avoid being swallowed up by Beijing and remain independent.

Last week's election also may affect Ma's ability in his remaining two years in office to sign pending agreements on import tariff cuts, establishing official state offices in Taiwan and China and holding a face-to-face meeting between himself and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Hong Kong wasn't the only place where student protesters hit the street this year, either. While Xi and China have been standing down Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, Taiwanese students also hit Taipei pavements in March.

Thousands of student protestors in the Sunflower Student Movement occupied parliament and nearby Taipei streets urging officials not to ratify a cross-strait service trade agreement that would make it easier for business on both sides of the Strait to open offices and conduct business in the other area.

Sunflower protestors said the KMT was trying to ram the agreement through parliament in an undemocratic fashion.

TagsTaiwan, kmt, nationalsts, hong ong, Chiang Kai-shek, Ma Ying-jeou