Beijing has slammed senior officials from the United States, Britain and Japan for congratulating Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen after her landslide election victory.

Key points: Beijing reprimanded the countries for violating the One-China principle

Beijing reprimanded the countries for violating the One-China principle The principle states there is only one China, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan is a province of China

The principle states there is only one China, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan is a province of China The US congratulated Ms Tsai on her re-election but only recognises Beijing, not Taipei

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Sunday that Beijing urged the international community to continue adhering to the "One-China principle".

"We hope and believe that … [they will] understand and support the just cause of Chinese people to oppose the secessionist activities for 'Taiwan independence' and realise national reunification," he said.

Ms Tsai, of the Democratic Progressive Party, was re-elected over the weekend with some 57 per cent of the popular vote, while Beijing-friendly rival Han Kuo-yu from the opposition party Kuomintang received just 39 per cent.

In a statement on Twitter, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Ms Tsai for her re-election and the self-ruling island's democratic election system.

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"Taiwan once again demonstrates the strength of its robust democratic system," Mr Pompeo tweeted.

"Thank you President Tsai for your leadership in developing a strong US partnership."

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also extended his congratulations to Ms Tsai on Twitter, saying "you are stronger because of your free and open society".

"The United States should continue strengthening our ties with Taiwan and other like-minded democracies," he wrote.

Meeting with the de facto US ambassador to Taipei, William Brent Christensen, a day after the election, Ms Tsai said: "Taiwan's people once again use the vote in their hands to show the world the value of democracy."

Responding to questions about the congratulatory messages on Sunday, Mr Geng told reporters the election in Taiwan was "a local affair in China" and reprimanded the countries for violating the One-China principle.

Beijing's One-China principle states there is only one China, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan is a province of China.

"China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to [the congratulatory messages] and has made solemn representations to the countries concerned," Mr Geng was quoted by state media Xinhua as saying.

"We oppose any form of official exchanges between Taiwan and countries who have diplomatic ties with China.

"It is hoped that the countries concerned will earnestly abide by the One-China principle, not develop any official relations and conduct any official exchanges with Taiwan, handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly, not send any wrong signals to 'Taiwan pro-independence' forces."

He added that the Chinese Government's opposition to "two Chinas" and "one China, one Taiwan" would not change.

'So happy to see Tsai Ing-wen has been re-elected'

Tsai Ing-wen won by a landside in a major blow to Beijing. ( AP: Chiang Ying-ying )

While Beijing expressed strong opposition to any congratulatory language towards Ms Tsai's re-election, comments that flowed in during a livestream of the Taiwan elections on YouTube showed many Chinese citizens were also happy with the result.

"I'm a netizen from the mainland, so happy to see Tsai Ing-wen has been re-elected. Fortunately, Han Kuo-yu was defeated," said one user, who likely used a VPN to access the platform.

"I heard this! I am one of the people across the strait! Congratulation to Tsai! Add Oil! Taiwanese [people] won the great Tsai, and her democracy and freedom!" said another.

Cen Yongkang, the host of a Taiwan current affairs program Global Perspective, speculated that comments from mainland Chinese users — who typically wrote in simplified Chinese — could be differentiated from those of Taiwanese people, who wrote in traditional Chinese.

But on Chinese social media platform Weibo, which is exposed to censorship, the public sentiment towards Ms Tsai's election win stood as a stark contrast to the sentiment on YouTube.

One user questioned why Taiwanese people can "democratically elect a President", while another questioned why CCTV's election analysis was proven wrong.

Chinese state media presented Han Kuo-yu as more likely candidate to win the election. ( REUTERS: Tyrone Siu )

Li Jiannan, a renowned political commentator in Taiwan, said on Global Perspective that the confusion could be caused by "fake news" about the election.

He said news coverage on the mainland in the lead up to the election depicted Mr Han as more popular than Ms Tsai, so people were blind-sided by Ms Tsai's win.

However, state news agency Xinhua claimed in an editorial that Ms Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party had used "dirty tactics" such as "cheating, repression and intimidation to get votes, fully exposing their selfish, greedy and evil nature".

State-owned Global Times tabloid newspaper also warned in an editorial against the US, "which has been regarding China as a strategic competitor", of getting up to "more little tricks" on the Taiwan issue in the coming years.

"The US will rope in more allies to help, and China must be fully prepared," it said.

However, the US itself is formally a diplomatic ally of Beijing rather than Taipei, which only has 15 remaining allies around the world.

Additional reporting by Kai Feng