(Taipei) Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te was sworn in on Monday, succeeding Tsai Ing-wen whose eight years in office were marked by a deterioration in relations with Beijing.
Mr. Lai took his oath of office at the presidential palace in Taipei, according to images from an official video pool, as did the new vice-president, Hsiao Bi-khim.
Coming from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the same movement as his predecessor, Mr. Lai has described himself in the past as a “pragmatic architect of Taiwan’s independence”.
He has since softened his speech, defending the maintenance of the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait and now affirming that an independence process is not necessary because the island de facto has this status, according to him.
His outspokenness and posture attracted the ire of Beijing, which described him as a “dangerous separatist” leading Taiwan on the path “to war and decline”.
Mr. Lai has tried to reopen dialogue with China, which Beijing broke off in 2016, but experts say he risks being rebuffed.
The new president must deliver his inauguration speech, which will be listened to carefully to learn his positions on the management of delicate relations between Taipei and Beijing, in front of thousands of people gathered for the occasion.
Among the 51 international delegations invited (including the United States, Japan and Canada), eight heads of state were invited to show their support for Taiwanese democracy.
Taiwan suffers from a lack of diplomatic recognition, having only 12 allies on the international scene.
However, the island has its own institutions, an army and its currency: the new Taiwan dollar.
Internal challenges
The majority of the 23 million inhabitants also believe they have their own Taiwanese identity, distinct from China.
More than a thousand artists are expected to perform traditional dances and operas during the ceremony, while Taipei’s skies will host a military aerial parade.
Following on from his predecessor, Lai Ching-te is expected to increase military spending and strengthen ties with certain powers, including the United States, which is the main supplier of arms to Taiwan.
Beijing has long threatened to use force to bring Taiwan under its control, particularly if the island declares independence, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has made frequent declarations that “unification” is “inevitable.”
Before Lai’s inauguration, Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which handles cross-Strait issues, said “Taiwan independence and cross-Strait peace” are “like fire and water.” “.
The Taiwanese coast guard said on Sunday that it had intensified its patrols over the weekend, ahead of Monday’s ceremony, in waters near the archipelago where Chinese ships have increased their presence.
In addition to the Chinese threat, Lai Ching-te will face many other challenges during his term.
The PDP lost its majority in parliament, where a fight broke out on Friday between elected officials from the three parties represented there, which could complicate Mr. Lai’s task of passing his reforms.
Mr Lai hopes to appeal to young voters, many of whom are disillusioned after eight years of DPP rule, and has promised to raise wages, cut taxes and create more public housing.