Taiwan delivered a cool response to Emperor Xi

The big news for China’s 13^th National People’s Congress (NPC) was abolishing presidential term limits, thereby enabling current Chinese President Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely.  This action signaled the beginning of Xi Dynasty, as comments by many political observers.  Taiwan’s media reported the event extensively and generally believed that Xi was in total control of Chinese Communist Party (CCP), central government, and People’s Liberation Army.  Xi might take more aggressive role to handle issues related to Taiwan-China relations.  Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen did not make any official comment.  However, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) did issue the statement “China should think about following the global trend and implement systemic reform that would result in long-term security, democratic, human rights and the rule of law”.  MAC further said “Taiwan’s government would continue to monitor China’s activities, and would carefully evaluate and respond to the situation”.   In addition to abolish presidential term, NPC also added “The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is the most essential characteristic of China’s socialism with Chinese characteristic” to Article 1 of the Chinese constitution.  One week later, NPC re-elected Xi as president and chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission.  Meanwhile, formal CCP Central Commission of Discipline Inspection secretary Wang Qishan was elected as new China’s vice president.  Wang was Xi’s right-hand man.  Xi will begin his second term as president of China soon.  Even though the second term will end in 2023, it was speculated that Xi will remain in power and rule China indefinitely.    As a result, Xi will be more powerful than Chairman Mao, the founder of PRC.  After the election, MAC expressed hope that Chinese President Xi could join hands with the Taiwanese government in facilitating a new pattern of amicable cross-strait exchanges.