New Taiwanese President Seeks Peace

BEIJING — Tensions over one of the Cold War's last remaining flashpoints may ease after Taiwan's newly elected president promised to build closer ties to China yesterday.

Ma Ying-jeou won a landslide election for the Chinese Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, on Saturday, with 58% of the vote.

The result will delight both Beijing and Washington, who believe Mr. Ma's more conciliatory attitude will reduce tensions in one of the world's most dangerous disputes.

He immediately promised to seek a peace treaty with China, which claims sovereignty over the island.

He said that while the two entities could not recognize each other's existence, they could at least live alongside each other on a basis of "mutual non-denial." He added: "We will not deny their existence but we cannot recognize their sovereignty."

He also said he would welcome two pandas Beijing has offered as a sign of friendship, which were rejected by his predecessor, Chen Shui-bian.