Faced with Chinese threats, Taiwan’s new president promises to defend democracy

The new president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, directly mentioned in his inauguration speech the threat of war between Beijing and Taipei. The head of state called on China to “stop its political and military intimidation” against the island, after taking an oath on Monday May 20. Governed autonomously since the 1950s, China does not recognize Taiwan as an independent state and considers the island as a separatist province. Beijing has maintained a presence for years almost daily around the island.

Described by the Chinese government as a “dangerous separatist“for his past statements in support of Taiwan’s independence. Lai Ching-te thanked the island’s citizens in his speech for resisting the influence”external forces and for having resolutely defended democracy“, asserting that “the glorious era of Taiwanese democracy has arrived”. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which handles cross-Strait issues, blasted an address sending, “a dangerous signal“.

Coming from the ranks of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the same movement as his predecessor, Lai Ching-te, promised that his government “will not give in, will not provoke and will maintain the status quo“, that is to say a balance which preserves the sovereignty of Taiwan without declaring formal independence. Beijing must”share with Taiwan the responsibility to the world for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait“, he pleaded. The new president also said he hoped that China would favor “dialogue at the expense of confrontation“.