New Taiwan president takes office

Taiwan’s new president Ma Ying-jeou took office on Tuesday in a handover ceremony from outgoing President Chen Shui-bian, Reuters reported. Ma, the Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate, was elected in a landslide in March after campaigning to improve relations with mainland China. As president, Ma has pledged to create new trade and transit ties with the mainland. KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung has accepted an invitation to meet with President Hu Jintao in a mainland tour to start May 26.