The election of Mr. Ma Ying-Jeou, the Nationalist (KMT) candidate, in Taiwan's presidential campaign last weekend could herald a diminution of tensions in the Taiwan Strait, one of the remaining legacies of the Cold War and a potential nuclear flash point. Mr. Ma has called for closer relations with the mainland. More importantly, he pledged that his administration would emphasize economics, rather than the political identity of Taiwan, a marked departure from the approach of the incumbent president, Mr. Chen Shui-bian. This return to pragmatism in Taipei is welcome.

Mr. Chen's eight-year tenure was a combative term. He was elected on a platform that stressed Taiwan's identity, and he vowed to win international recognition for Taiwan's political and economic achievements and greater diplomatic space. That pledge enraged Beijing, which considers Taiwan a "renegade province," and earned Mr. Chen its eternal enmity. Both sides' determination eliminated any maneuvering room for either government and ensured that cross-strait relations remained tense.

Mr. Chen made little progress on his Taiwan identity agenda. He did manage to alienate close friends in Washington, however. Even though U.S. President George W. Bush took office believing that China was a strategic competitor with the U.S., midway through his first term Mr. Bush was prepared to rebuke Mr. Chen for causing tensions in Asia, a view widely shared in the region.