Lai Hsin-yuan's comments follow complaints from some members of Ma's Nationalist Party earlier this week that her former status as a lawmaker for a pro-independence party makes her a poor choice to head the island's Mainland Affairs Council.

The council is Taiwan's Cabinet-level body responsible for relations with Beijing.

Speaking to reporters, Lai said she backed Ma's policy of opposing both Taiwanese independence and unification with the mainland.

"My beliefs are in line with those of Mr. Ma," she said.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949. Beijing continues to see the island as part of its territory and has threatened war if it moves to make the break permanent.

Ma and his government take office May 20.

Since Ma's election on March 22, the relations between Taiwan and China have shown signs of improvement after the eight-year, pro-independence administration of outgoing President Chen Shui-bian.

Vice President-elect Vincent Siew met with Chinese leader Hu Jintao on the Chinese island of Hainan last month, and Chiang Pin-kung, recently named to head a quasi-governmental foundation responsible for informal China talks, held discussions in Shanghai with senior Chinese officials.