New Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves during the inauguration ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 20, 2024.
Jiang Yingying/Associated Press
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Jiang Yingying/Associated Press
New Taiwan President Lai Ching-te waves during the inauguration ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan, Monday, May 20, 2024.
Jiang Yingying/Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan – In his inauguration speech, Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te urged China to stop military intimidation of self-governing islands claimed by Beijing.
“My compatriots, we have the ideal of pursuing peace, but we cannot have illusions,” Lai said after being sworn in. “Since China has not given up the use of force to invade Taiwan, we should understand that even if we fully accept China’s claims and give up our sovereignty, China’s attempt to annex Taiwan will not disappear.”
He succeeds Tsai Ing-wen, who led Taiwan through eight years of economic and social development despite the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s escalating military threats.
Thousands of people gathered in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei for the inauguration ceremony. Attendees wearing white bucket hats watched on a big screen as the master of ceremonies explained Jimmy Lai’s oath-taking ceremony, followed by military marches and colorful artistic performances by folk dancers, opera singers and rappers. Military helicopters fly in formation, flying the Taiwanese flag.
Jimmy Lai accepted congratulations from politicians and delegations from the 12 countries that have established diplomatic relations with Taiwan, as well as politicians from the United States, Japan and European countries.
Lai, whose English name is William, vowed to continue his predecessor’s efforts to promote stability with China while strengthening Taiwan’s security by importing advanced fighter jets and other technology from close partner the United States and expanding defense industry and manufacturing. Strengthen regional partnerships with Taiwan’s unofficial allies such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Lai on taking office. “We look forward to working with President Lai and across Taiwan’s political spectrum to advance our shared interests and values, deepen our long-standing unofficial relationship, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Blinken said in a statement from his office.
Lai, 64, succeeds Tsai Ing-wen, who led Taiwan through eight years of economic and social development despite the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s escalating military threats. He is seen as inheriting her progressive policies, including universal health care, support for higher education and support for minorities, including making Taiwan the first place in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage.
Lai, who served as vice president during Tsai Ing-wen’s second term, came across as more of a demagogue early in his career. In 2017, he called himself a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence,” drawing condemnation from Beijing. He has since softened his stance and now supports maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the possibility of negotiations with Beijing.
Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex the island by force if necessary.
Lai will continue to work on Tsai Ing-wen’s efforts to strengthen relations with the United States.
During Tsai’s tenure, Taiwan became the first society in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, although critics said she sidestepped political responsibility by leaving the decision to the Supreme Court and holding a series of referendums.
She oversaw a controversial pension and labor reform and extended the draft to one year. She also launched a military modernization process, including plans to build indigenous submarines worth more than $16 billion each.
Tsai Ing-wen’s leadership during the epidemic has divided public opinion, with most admiring Taiwan’s ability to largely keep the virus at bay initially but criticizing a lack of investment in rapid testing as the outbreak progressed.
