Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, has called on China to stop threatening Taiwan and accept the existence of its democracy.
Shortly after being sworn in on Monday, he urged Beijing to replace confrontation with dialogue.
He also said that Taiwan would never back down in the face of intimidation from China, which has long claimed Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Mr Lai is hated by China, which considers him a “separatist”.
In recent years, it has also stepped up pressure on Taiwan.
China’s military incursions into Taiwan’s waters and airspace have become routine over the past few years, raising fears of conflict. In his speech, Mr Lai called this “the greatest strategic challenge to global peace and stability”.
But the 64-year-old also adheres closely to the model used by her predecessor, President Tsai Ing-wen, and her measured and steady handling of Beijing will define her legacy.
Lai, a doctor turned politician, won three consecutive presidential elections in January, giving the Democratic Progressive Party an unprecedented third term in office. He has served as Tsai Ing-wen’s vice president since 2020 and previously served as Tsai Ing-wen’s prime minister. As a young man, he was considered one of the more radical politicians, openly calling for Taiwan’s independence, a claim that Beijing has not escaped. Ahead of the polls, it labeled him a “troublemaker” and Chinese state media even suggested he should be prosecuted for secession.
The Chinese government has yet to issue a statement regarding Mr Lai’s appointment. However, the Chinese Embassy in the UK held a press conference over the weekend and asked the British government not to endorse it. Earlier last week, a spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned that Taiwan’s new leader “must seriously” consider whether he wants peaceful development or confrontation.
Just as Mr. Lai was sworn in, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced sanctions on several U.S. companies “involved in arms sales to Taiwan.”
