Taiwan's youth breaks away from Tsai as frustration mounts

Citing inaction against Beijing, young activists halt cooperation with ruling DPP

Many young Taiwanese voters accuse President Tsai Ing-wen, left, of compromising on economic reform and independence from mainland China.

KENSAKU IHARA, Nikkei staff writer

July 31, 2018 04:46 JST

TAIPEI -- The young Taiwanese voters who swept President Tsai Ing-wen to power in 2016 are growing disillusioned as her government appears increasingly boxed in by pressure from mainland China, creating a rift that Beijing may exploit in its pursuit of reunification.

As the previous Kuomintang government under President Ma Ying-jeou pushed Taipei closer to Beijing, alarmed young people supported Tsai and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party to keep the island from falling under the mainland's sway.