WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- The Bush administration Friday congratulated Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian on his win in disputed election, but urged calm.
The White House congratulated Chen, adding: "We reject calls for violence."
The U.S. State Department said there were legal procedures available to resolve the dispute over voting results.
"Taiwan has a vibrant democracy and that's a good thing," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
Earlier Friday, opposition supporters stormed the Central Election Commission in Taipei as it declared Chen the winner of Taiwan's presidential election.
Crowds threw bottles and broke windows in the commission building, in the most violent action since Saturday's election when Chen defeated Kuomintang candidate Lien Chen by 30,000 votes. Lien's supporters accused the president's Democratic Progressive Party of fraud.
The legislature remained in a deadlock Friday as the opposition rejected a proposal by the DPP to amend the election law to allow for a recount. The opposition has filed court papers demanding a judicial review of the election results. It also called for a mass demonstration in Taipei Saturday.
