Ma Ying-jeou, Taiwan’s incoming president, has added uncertainty to the prospects for a rapprochement with mainland China by picking a former lawmaker from a pro-independence party to head the cabinet body in charge of relations with Beijing.

Lai Shin-yuan, a former lawmaker of the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union, would become chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council after Mr Ma took office on May 20, Liu Chao-shiuan, his expected premier, announced on Monday.