Overseas media, experts voice worries over Tsai Ing-wen's equivocation

Chun Ka-lim, a Chinese affairs professor at South Korea's Hoseo University, said that Tsai's ambiguity and equivocation will have a negative impact and that she, as the new Taiwan leader and chairperson of the DPP, should clarify her stance on relevant issues.

Zheng Yongnian, director of East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, said that by skirting the 1992 Consensus, Tsai is actually leaning toward the ideology and political ideas of gradual independence.

"You need to keep an eye on this," Zheng said.

Russia's Tass news agency quoted observers as saying that the rise to power of the new Taiwan leader, who has been opposed to closer cross-Strait ties, will make cross-Strait relations more complicated and unpredictable.

Nouvelles D'Europe, a France-based Chinese newspaper, said in an opinion piece that the 1992 Consensus has been known as the political cornerstone of cross-Strait relations and represents the essential stance and bottom line of the mainland. While there may not be a conflict or war yet, any potential "cold confrontation" would be unbearable for the island's authorities or its economy, said the newspaper.

The overseas Chinese community and Chinese expatriates have also voiced their regret and worries over Tsai's inauguration address.

"Her dodgy and equivocal attitude will only push the cross-Strait relations toward unstability and turbulence, which I believe neither the Chinese outside and inside China who care about the peaceful development on both sides of the Strait nor the international community would be pleased to see," said Wu Hao, secretary-general of the Association for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China in Russia.

"Peace is a pre-requisite for the development of Taiwan. Without peace, all the talks of solving problems, shouldering responsibilities and undertaking reforms would be empty," Wu added.

The Alliance for China's Peaceful Reunification, USA, said in a statement that the new Taiwan authorities and the DPP must make a clear pledge to all the Chinese across the world so as to renew the consensus and political foundation that both sides across the Strait belong to one China. It also urged an immediate stop of all forms of activities aimed at de-sinicization or independence of the island.