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But it is Chen's stormy relationship with China that appears to have most weakened support for the DPP. Beijing suspects that Chen's campaign of promoting Taiwan's cultural identity represents a drive for independence through stealth. Cross-strait ties have remained in de*p freeze during his presidency. Chen has turned down Beijing's offer of a cross-Taiwan Strait peace accord under the one-China framework, dismissing the idea as part of Hsieh, carrying the DPP's hopes in Saturday's election, had made a marked departure from Chen's antagonistic stance towards China. On Friday, the former human rights lawyer said if elected he would resume dialogue with Beijing, arguing that the time has come for He has promised to negotiate direct air links with China and open up Taiwan to mainland tourists, following negligible progress in these His move echoes frontrunner Ma's strong campaign calling for improved economic ties with the mainland. The KMT candidate, a Harvard-trained lawyer and former mayor of Taipei, has proposed forging an unprecedented European Union-style Ma insists that improved cross-strait ties are necessary for Taiwan to ramp up its slugglish economy. During the past few years, Taiwan's economic performance has lagged in comparison with a number of its little dragon peers, including If elected president, Ma has promised annual growth rates of six percent, similar to annual figures during the decade before the DPP took power, and up from the currently estimated rate of 4.5 percent. Calls by both candidates for improved cross-strait ties follow signs that many inside and outside of Taiwan are tired of Chen's abrasive A referendum backed by Chen that would authorise seeking UN membership as Taiwan rather than under the island's legal name, Republic of China, has irked both China and the US, Taiwan's most powerful ally. Chen has called on the electorate to vote on two referendums supporting Taiwan's entry into the United Nations. He says the poll is is necessary to show the world that Taiwanese object to China's suppression of Taiwan's right to participate in the