Local elections in Taiwan are considered a bellwether for national politics. By that standard, the Kuomintang (KMT), the ruling party on the island, should be feeling good. KMT candidates won three of five mayoral seats in the local elections held Saturday. While a lot can change between now and 2012, when the next round of national elections are to be held, President Ma Ying-jeou appears to have a mandate to continue his opening to China — as long as that policy boosts the Taiwan economy.

Mr. Ma was elected president in 2008 on a platform that promised to build better relations with China as a way to improve the island's struggling economy. His policies repudiated those of his predecessor, Mr. Chen Shui-bian, a pro-independence advocate and then head of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). After taking office, Mr. Ma reached out to Beijing, which quickly reciprocated, recognizing that a willing partner in Taipei is the best way for the mainland to realize its dream of eventual reunification.

That dream is not shared by most Taiwanese. They prefer recognition of their considerable achievements — building a vibrant, if not raucous, democracy and an economic powerhouse — and remain deeply skeptical of Chinese intentions. But the fates of Taiwan and China are deeply intertwined and the two must find a modus vivendi that serves both sides of the Taiwan Strait.