'As a long-standing friend of Taiwan, Singapore will continue to maintain good relations with Taiwan based on our 'One China' policy.' -- PHOTO: AFP

Congratulating Taiwan's opposition candidate Ma Ying-jeou shortly after he cruised to victory in the presidential election Saturday, a spokesman for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: 'We welcome the successful conclusion of Taiwan's Presidential election and congratulate Dr Ma Ying-jeou on his election.'

'As a long-standing friend of Taiwan, Singapore will continue to maintain good relations with Taiwan based on our 'One China' policy.'

'We look forward to better cross-strait relations.'

The spokesman said Chinese President Hu Jintao has called for negotiations with Taiwan to build up a framework for the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.

Dr Ma has also pledged to promote economic interactions and dialogue across the Taiwan Strait.

'We urge all parties to take advantage of this new opportunity to resume dialogue and work towards greater peace and prosperity in the region,' added the MFA spokesman.

Responding to media queries on Taiwan's two failed referendums to bid for UN membership, the spokesman said they served 'no useful purpose.'

'They were populist gestures made for electoral purposes which caused tensions in cross-strait relations,' said the spokesman.

'Whether they succeeded or failed was irrelevant from the very beginning and it was unfortunate that they were held in the first place.'

Singapore shares the view that the UN membership is not possible unless all five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council agree.

Since the US, Russia, France and the UK all recognise China under their 'One China' policy, and China is itself a Permanent Member, there can never be agreement on Taiwan joining the UN, it said.

'Tensions in cross-strait relations can only constrict and not expand Taiwan's international space,'added the MFA spokesman.

Taiwan referendum on UN membership, which drew strong criticism from archrival China, as well as close ally the United States, failed to pass in a vote on Saturday.

The referendum, which asked Taiwanese whether Taiwan should join the United Nations under the name 'Taiwan', failed to gain the required participation level needed to be considered valid.

The United States, Russia and Britain were all sharply critical of the referendum, saying it was needlessly provocative in trying to alter the status quo with Taiwan?s political archrival China.

A second referendum asking whether Taiwan should join the United Nations under the island?s official name, Republic of China, or any other practical name, also failed to break the 50 per cent threshold.

China has claimed self-ruled Taiwan as its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, and has repeatedly blocked Taiwan's attempts to join the United Nations.

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