China indicated on Saturday that it welcomed the re-election of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who favours closer ties with Beijing, according to Reuters. China's Taiwan Affairs Office, which steers Beijing's relations with the self-ruled island, did not directly comment on Ma's victory, but said the experience of past years showed the two sides of the divided Taiwan Strait were on the right track. "We have noted that the results of the election for Taiwan region's leader and representatives of public opinion have already emerged," said the statement from the Taiwan Affairs Office, which was issued by the official Xinhua news agency. "The facts of the past four years again prove that peace and development is the correct path for cross-strait relations, and this has won the support of the broad numbers of Taiwanese compatriots," the statement said.
