Kuan Bi-ling, deputy whip of the DPP legislative caucus, explained that the Republican Party has viewed China as more of a threat, while the Democratic Party has tended to see China in more favorable terms.

"The Republicans have leaned more toward Taiwan, while the Democrats have leaned more toward China, " Kuan said, pointing to former Democratic President Bill Clinton's "new three noes" policy on cross-Taiwan Strait issues.

The so-called Clinton's "new three noes" referred to no U.S. support for Taiwan independence, for "one Taiwan, one China, " and for Taiwan membership in international organizations that require statehood.

As a result, having a Democrat in the White House will put more pressure on Taiwan's nativist parties, Kuan said.

DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang, a member of the Legislative Yuan Foreign and National Defense Committee, pointed out that during the U.S. presidential campaign, Obama stressed the need for cross-strait relations to move toward peace and had a more conservative attitude regarding the sale of new arms to Taiwan.

"Now that Obama has been elected, unless President Ma Ying-jeou actively displays an intention to procure new arms from the United States, I'm afraid Taiwan's national defenses will weaken, " Tsai said.

Pan Meng-an, another DPP deputy caucus whip, said that more time will be needed to gauge the effect of Obama's election on Taiwan-U.S. ties, adding however that judging from history, there is some cause for concern about having a Democrat president.