Editor's note: Kuomintang won 15 of the 22 seats contested in the local elections in Taiwan over the weekend, but the Democratic Progressive Party will remain the ruling party on the island until the 2020 election for a new Taiwan leader. What will cross-Straits relations be like in the intervening two years? Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Yao Yuxin. Excerpts follow:

Island needs to embrace mainland market

Tang Yonghong, deputy director of the Taiwan Research Center, Xiamen University

Taiwan residents have made it clear they are very unhappy with the sluggish economy, worried about strained cross-Straits relations and angry with the Tsai administration's aggressive reform. The local elections' results also show Taiwan compatriots' unhappiness with the DPP.

Taiwan residents, despite their different priorities and demands, have always wanted peaceful cross-Straits relations as they are vital to their pursuit of a better life. As for ideologies, which the DPP is good at manipulating, they are of least importance to the island's residents.

By voting against the Tsai administration, Taiwan residents have shown cross-Straits tensions are neither good for the island's economy nor its residents. Many island residents voted against Tsai especially because of her refusal to accept the 1992 Consensus and for seeking cooperation with some international powers to contain the mainland.

Besides, as the Tsai authorities are trying hard to reduce cross-Straits exchanges across the board in order to de-sinicize the island, Taiwan's economic and other developments have deteriorated, bringing its economy to a standstill which has severely affected the residents' livelihoods.

Given the rising cross-Straits tensions and worsening livelihoods, the mainland card, commonly used by the DPP to win votes, was not as effective as before.

No wonder Han Kuo-yu, a Kuomintang member who shifted to Kaohsiung just one year ago, has been elected the new mayor of Kaohsiung, a municipality ruled by the DPP for 20 consecutive years. Han's campaign resonated with the local residents as he made boosting the economy and improving the old and poor city his top priorities.

But the economy of the entire island cannot be improved by one single mayor. As the mainland has become an important engine of the global economy, the island can better develop its economy with closer cooperation with the mainland.

（节选自China Daily，原标题为：Local polls reflect island residents' wishes，

原文链接：https://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201811/28/WS5bfdd311a310eff30328b66d.html）