Lai Ching-te has been sworn in as the new President of Taiwan today (May 20th). Lai was inaugurated on Monday morning at the presidential office in central Taipei, taking over the presidentship from Tsai Ing-wen after eight years.
Lai has been sworn in alongside Vice President Bi-Khim Hsiao.
It is with great honor that I accept the responsibility the Taiwanese people have entrusted me with as president. United in our commitment to peace & democracy, we will stand resilient in the face of all challenges. Read my full inaugural address here: https://t.co/dkiYKLGehr
— 賴清德Lai Ching-te (@ChingteLai) May 20, 2024
Lai Ching-te vows ‘status quo’
Like Tsai, Lai is also a strong supporter of Taiwanese independence from Chinese influence. After Swearing in, Lai toned down the rhetoric and vowed to maintain the “status quo” on the Taiwan Strait.
Talking about the military incursions by China, Lai called the triggering actions the “greatest strategic challenge to global peace and stability“.
“I hope that China will face the reality of (Taiwan)’s existence, respect the choices of the people of Taiwan, and in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation,” Lai said after being sworn into office.
Lai pledged to “neither yield nor provoke” Beijing and said he sought peace in relations with China. But he emphasized the island democracy is determined to defend itself “in the face of the many threats and attempts at infiltration from China.”
“So long as China refuses to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, all of us in Taiwan ought to understand, that even if we accept the entirety of China’s position and give up our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear,” he said.
Lai vowed to continue his predecessor’s push to maintain stability with China while bolstering Taiwanese security through imports and partnering with the US.
Chinese reaction to Taiwan’s inauguration
The government has yet to issue a statement on Lai’s inauguration.
The Chinese claim Taiwan to be China’s inseparable part, whose reunification is “inevitable.” They labelled Lai as a “dangerous separatist” and someone who would bring “war and decline” to the Island.
Although the Chinese officials haven’t issued any statement yet, the Chinese embassy over the weekend held a press briefing asking the UK to not endorse it.
As Mr Lai was sworn in as President, the Chinese Commerce Ministry announced sanctions against several US companies including Boeing as they were “involved in arms sales to Taiwan“.
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