Taiwan PM resigns after ruling party Lose Local Elections

Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah 

Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah Taiwan announced his resignation in Taipei (29/11).

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Taiwan's Prime Minister resigns after ruling party leader of the pro-China defeat worse than expected in local elections.

Prime Minister Jiang Yi-huah said in a press conference on Saturday (29/11), he is responsible for the tremendous defeat of the Nationalist Party.

The party, which is also known as the Kuomintang (KMT), lost the general election in eight cities and districts, including Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, who had been their mainstay. A number of pre-election polls predicted defeat only in three places.

The election results show voters are dissatisfied with President Ma Ying-jeou and his efforts to strengthen ties with China. This defeat will minimize the possibility of retaining the presidency of the Nationalist Party in the 2016 elections.

The defeat also can interfere with negotiations for six years with China that has produced 21 trade agreements, transit and investment.

But for the opposition pro-independence, this is a significant form of support. People in the island nation chose to over 11,000 office chair - a record number in the local elections in Taiwan.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war, but China still claims the island nation as part of its territory and sees it as a breakaway province that one day will return to unite themselves. (VOA)