| Democratic Progressive Party leader Chen Shui-bian was elected president; Taiwan-China tensions mounted over the opposing faction's new rise to power. A few days before the election, Chen subdued fears of armed conflict by softening his pro-independence political stance. Mainland China reiterated, however, that it would never allow Taiwanese independence in any form. The election of a Democratic Progressive Party leader to the presidency ended 50 years of political control by the Nationalist Party (KMT) in Taiwan. | 1 |
