(TibetanReview.net, May20’24) — As Taiwan inaugurated today its newly elected president Mr Lai Ching-te from the independence-leaning Progressive Democratic Party, China, which opposed his candidacy and then denounced his election in Jan 2024, made it clear that the cross-strait relations under him will be an unfriendly one. The inauguration was attended by 508 guests from 51 foreign delegations including from the United States, Japan and Canada, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They also included leaders from some of the 12 countries that still maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, such as Paraguay President Santiago Pena. Besides, the guestlist included a delegation from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) represented by its Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Kalon (Minister) Ms Norzin Dolma, DIIR Secretary Mr Karma Choeying, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Ms Dolma Tsering Teykhang, and exile Tibetan parliament member Mr Tenpa Yarphel, besides the CTA’s office of Tibet at Taipei Representative Mr Kalsang Gyaltsen Bawa.
In his inaugural address, President Lai, 64, also known by his English name, William, asked China to stop its military and political threats, that peace is the only choice, and that Beijing had to respect the choice of the Taiwanese people. Addressing a crowd outside the Japanese-colonial-era presidential office in central Taipei, Lai repeated a call for talks with China, which views the proudly democratic island as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing’s control, reported Reuters May 20.
“I also want to urge China to stop intimidating Taiwan politically and militarily, and to take on the global responsibility with Taiwan to work hard on maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region, to ensure the world is without the fear of war breaking out,” he has said. “We also want to declare this to the world: Taiwan makes no concessions on democracy and freedom. Peace is the only option and prosperity is our goal for long-term peace and stability.”
Lai, who was sworn in with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, received loud applause after reiterating that the Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – and the People’s Republic of China are “not subordinate to each other”, a line his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen also took, the report noted.
A four-term legislator and two-term mayor of Tainan, Lai was Taiwan’s premier from 2017 to 2019 under the Tsai administration and later became Tsai’s deputy in 2020 when she began her second term.
China repeatedly called Lai a “separatist” who risked war in the run-up to his election.
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China reacted with anger to Lai’s friendly overtures which was laced with a defiant stand on democracy and freedom. Lai has sent “a dangerous signal” of seeking “Taiwan independence” and making provocations to undermine cross-Strait peace and stability in his speech upon assuming the role of Taiwan region’s new leader, China’s official chinadaily.com.cn May 20 cited Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, as saying.
Chen has described Lai’s speech as one that stubbornly followed the “Taiwan independence” stance, wantonly advocated separatism, incited cross-Strait confrontation and sought independence by relying on foreign support and by force.
The report also cited Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin as saying that no matter how the political situation on the Taiwan island changes, it will not change the historical and legal facts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, and the historical trend that China will eventually be reunified and will inevitably be reunified.
Lai who once called himself a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence,” has since toned down his rhetoric, promising to maintain the “status quo” on the Taiwan Strait, which means preserving Taiwan’s sovereignty while not declaring formal independence, noted dw.com May 20.
Beijing has rebuffed Lai’s attempts at dialogue and increased military activities near Taiwan since his election win.
Lai has said Taiwan will continue Tsai’s policies by boosting defence spending and strengthening ties with democratic nations, particularly the United States, its key partner and weapons supplier.