Taiwan's new president urged China on Friday to "drop the baggage of history" in an otherwise conciliatory inauguration speech that Beijing's Communist Party rulers had been watching for any move towards independence. 


President Tsai Ing-wen was sworn in with Taiwan's export-driven economy on the ropes and giant neighbor China looking across the Taiwan Strait for signs of creeping independence or anti-Beijing sentiment that could further sour economic ties. 


Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has traditionally favored independence from China, won parliamentary and presidential elections by a landslide in January and takes over after eight years under China-friendly Nationalist Ma Ying-jeou

Source: NNA