MA Ying-jeou, who won the Taiwan leadership election on Saturday, pledged yesterday not to seek "de jure independence" of the island during his tenure.

Ma said that he would shovel political differences and support the operation of the Association for the Relations across the Taiwan Strait on the mainland and The Straits Exchange Foundation in Taiwan.

According to local media reports, Ma said he would work to open the island to tourists from the Chinese mainland and address the issue of allowing Taiwan enterprises to "move forward" to the mainland.

Taipei zoo is ready to accept the giant panda presented by the mainland, Ma said.

On the island's leadership election on Saturday, Ma, former Kuomintang Party chairman, and Vincent Siew, got 7.6587 million ballots, or 58.45 percent of the votes, whereas Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and his running mate Su Tseng-chang got 5.4452 million ballots, or 41.55 percent of the votes.

About 17.3 million people voted at 14,401 polling stations, according to the Taiwan authority.

In January, the KMT won 81 of the 113 seats in Taiwan's "legislature" elections, scoring a landslide victory over the DPP, which won just 27 seats.

Also on Saturday, Taiwan residents vetoed the "UN membership referendum" pursued by Chen Shui-bian authorities, according to the votes counted on Saturday.

Only 35.8 percent of people in Taiwan cast their ballots on Saturday for the "UN membership referendum" under the name "Taiwan,'' proposed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

The result showed clearly the Taiwan residents' dissatisfaction with Chen, said Wang Hsiao-Po, a professor with Taiwan University.

Su Chia-hung, a political expert from Kaohsiung, said the failure of the "referendum" proved that the people's will should never be overlooked.

It was the common aspiration of the compatriots from across the Taiwan Strait to maintain peace and stability, he said.

The percentage of voters turnout was only 35.7 for another "referendum," proposed by the KMT, on whether the island should "return to the global body under any name.'' It was also rejected by voters.

Voting on the two proposed "referendums" was held simultaneously with Saturday's leadership poll.

Ma Ying-Jeou wins Taiwan's leadership election

Ma Ying-jeou (L), the candidate representing Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT), won the island's leadership election on Saturday, according to Taiwan media reports. (File Photo)

Ma Ying-jeou, the candidate representing Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT), won the island's leadership election on Saturday, according to Taiwan media reports.

Ma, former KMT party chairman, and Vincent Siew, got 7.6587 million ballots, or 58.45 percent of the votes, whereas Frank Hsieh of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and his running mate Su Tseng-chang got 5.4452 million ballots, or 41.55 percent of the votes.

Taiwan residents began voting in the leadership election at 8 a.m., voting ended at 4 p.m.. Results are expected at 9.30 p.m. About 17.3 million people voted at 14,401 polling stations, said the Taiwan authority.

Taiwan residents also voted on Saturday in two "referendums" on launching a bid to join the United Nations, one put forward by the DPP and one by the KMT. Both were rejected by Taiwan residents.

In January, the KMT won 81 of the 113 seats in Taiwan's "legislature" elections, scoring a landslide victory over the DPP, which got 27 seats.

Editor: Yan