Cross-Strait policies help Ma

"Taiwanese need a stable environment and Ma could provide such stability," said a voter surnamed Lin at the KMT headquarters. His hair was completely wet and raindrops running down onto his shoulders.

The Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) Ma signed with the Chinese mainland was "quite helpful" in promoting the island's growth, said Lin, who worked in a biotech company and traveled across the Strait quite often.

The 1992 Consensus reached between the two sides and supported by Ma was significant in promoting cross-Strait relations, he said.

In front of a television in a dessert shop near the KMT headquarters, a lot of people gathered to watch the broadcasting of Ma's victory speech and ballot counting results. They stood too far away from the stage and could not see Ma.

Hong Chiang, 61, came to the spot to cheer for Ma with her entire family. She and her family came back from New York to cast their ballots.

"Ma is honest and upright and has improved Taiwan during his current tenure. Tsai is unpredictable. We would not be assured if she was elected," said Hong, wearing a red jacket, swaying her body with the music and waving small flags.

Hsu Wun-pin, renowned lawyer and native from Tainan in southern Taiwan, told Xinhua that the election result showed that voters were not sure about Tsai and DPP who refused to accept the 1992 Consensus.

"Voters in Taiwan, especially those in southern Taiwan, were more rational than before, which meant they have felt the positive impacts of cross-Strait exchanges, including the ECFA, over the past three years," he said.

The election result suggested that Ma's policies concerning cross-Strait affairs have gained recognition and people would like to see the current cross-Strait exchanges continue, said Roget K.C. Hsu, general secretary of Travel Agent Association of Taiwan.

"Taiwan's tourism industry is looking forward for a good future of cross-Strait business as the number of tour packages and independent tourists will continue rising," he said.

At a press conference at the DPP headquarters, Ma's major rival Tsai admitted her defeat in the election and announced that she would resign from the post of DPP chairwoman.