Chen Shui-bian, the Taiwanese president who has tried to make his drive for greater independence from mainland China the focus of the island’s politics, suffered a crushing and well-deserved defeat in the general election on Saturday.

In handing the Kuomintang (KMT) an overwhelming majority in the restructured and slimmed-down parliament, Taiwanese voters made clear they were more concerned about the economy and local issues than Mr Chen’s grandstanding.