Lai Ching-te of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been sworn in and took office as the self-governing island’s president on Monday.
According to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry, more than 500 foreign guests from 51 delegations attended the inauguration ceremony and related activities, including the national leaders of eight countries which maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Lai, 64, the son of a coal miner and a trained physician, succeeds Tsai Ing-wen, 67, to lead the democracy amid increasing threats from China, which claims the self-governing island of over 23 million people as its territory.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949.
Tsai could not run again after completing the maximum of two terms.
Her eight years in office was aimed at maintaining the status quo between Taiwan and China and augmenting Taiwan’s international visibility amid a complex geopolitical situation.
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, 52, was also officially sworn in.
She was Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2023 and formerly served as a DPP lawmaker for several terms.
The Chinese Communist Party considers the DPP to be a separatist organisation and has threatened to invade Taiwan if the party makes any formal moves towards independence.
The DPP says Taiwan already functions as an independent state and does need to make any formal declaration.
Given the threats from China, Tsai’s administration adopted strategies to strengthen Taiwan’s defensive military capabilities and to cooperate with like-minded countries to form a collective deterrence in the region.
Lai has reiterated since his January victory that his administration will continue to strengthen the foundations laid by Tsai to not only safeguard the status quo, but also let Taiwan keep playing an indispensable role in the global economy and towards maintaining geopolitical stability.
The United States maintains a certain amount of strategic ambiguity when it comes to Taiwan, officially recognising only the Beijing government, but it is legally bound to support Taiwan’s defence capabilities through the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.
New President calls on China to cease intimidation
Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te has called on Beijing to cease its political and military intimidation against his democratic island country.
“Peace is the only option,” Lai told the crowd attending his inauguration ceremony in Taiwan.
Lai also called on China to share with Taiwan the global responsibility of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as well as the greater region, and “ensure the world is free from the fear of war.”
“The future of cross-strait relations will have a decisive impact on the world,” Lai said.
Lai urged China to face the reality of the existence of Taiwan and “in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation and exchange over containment.
“This should be done under the principles of parity and dignity and engage in cooperation with the legal government chosen by Taiwan’s people.
“It can start from the resumption of tourism on a reciprocal basis, and enrollment of degree students in Taiwanese institutions,” Lai said.