TAIPEI, Taiwan — New Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te pledged to ensure stability for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region during his inaugural address, despite China’s aspirations for unification with the mainland.
“Democracy and freedom are Taiwan’s unwavering commitment,” Lai stated, through a translator, during his inauguration on Monday. “Peace is the only option. And prosperity gained through lasting peace and stability is our objective.”
Lai urged China to cease its political and military intimidation tactics against Taiwan to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and “ensure that the world is free from the fear of war.”
“We must not harbor any delusions; as long as China refuses to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, we in Taiwan must understand that even if we accept China’s position in its entirety and relinquish our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear,” he emphasized.
Lai called on Taiwanese citizens to unite in safeguarding the nation. “All our political parties should oppose annexation and protect sovereignty,” he told the celebratory crowd. “No one should consider giving up our national sovereignty in exchange for political power.”
During a pre-inauguration reception, Lai told dignitaries and reporters that he aims to “build upon the solid foundation” established by his predecessor, former President Tsai Ing-wen, under whom he served as vice president for the past eight years.
“Together, we will continue to work on the path of democracy and engage with the world to make Taiwan stronger,” Lai said through translators on Sunday. “We will continue to defend Taiwan’s democracy and make our economy more prosperous and vibrant. Additionally, we will play a key role in maintaining regional stability.”
This comes despite uncertainties regarding Lai’s defense policy and differences between his and Tsai’s energy policies, particularly concerning nuclear power. Concerns also persist in capitals like Washington, D.C., about Lai’s foreign policy experience and past missteps. For instance, he raised diplomatic eyebrows last July by stating, “when Taiwan’s president can enter the White House, the political goal that we’re pursuing will have been achieved.”
“He already clarified that during the campaign,” noted Catherine Hsu, director-general of Taiwan’s Department of International Information Services. “He stated he would maintain the status quo and follow President Tsai’s policy regarding China. This means that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other.”
Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation’s Taiwan Policy Initiative, agreed that Lai would seek continuity in foreign policy, given Tsai’s approach to China. This approach involves supporting the status quo, preserving Taiwan’s sovereignty, and pursuing closer ties with the U.S. — policies considered “responsible and effective.”
“So much so that all three presidential candidates essentially pledged to follow her lead during the election campaign,” Kuo told reporters.
Tsai and Lai’s close relationship with the U.S. has caused concern for China, which had been expected to respond diplomatically or militarily to Lai’s inauguration.
While the U.S. was preoccupied with the 2024 Republican presidential primary caucuses in Iowa, Lai won Taiwan’s presidential election in January by 7 percentage points, or 915,000 votes. He retained the presidency for Taiwan’s center-left Democratic Progressive Party over the historically powerful center-right Kuomintang, marking the first time a Taiwanese party won more than two consecutive presidential elections since direct elections were introduced in 1996.
However, Lai did not win a majority of the vote, nor did the DPP gain outright control of Taiwan’s unicameral legislature. The DPP holds 51 seats in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, the Kuomintang 52, with two additional independent legislators caucusing with the latter. The new Taiwan People’s Party, which outperformed expectations, holds eight seats.
National Cheng Kung University political science professor Hung-Jen Wang suggested that Lai’s priority will be addressing Taiwan’s domestic political and economic issues, such as cost of living pressures and housing shortages.
“They will aim to build the greatest possible consensus on new domestic policies, ensuring that the public feels the government is addressing their needs,” Wang stated.
