Written by Huynh Tam Sang.
Image credit: 05.20 總統出席「就職慶祝大會」並發表就職演說 by 總統府/ Flickr, license: CC BY 2.0 DEED.
In his inaugural address, the newly sworn-in President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te (賴清德), pledged to secure democracy, peace, and prosperity. “Peace is the only option. And prosperity, gained through lasting peace and stability, is our objective,” the new President said. Lai mentioned the word “democracy” 31 times, highlighting Taiwan’s resilient democratic ascendency over authoritarian regimes. But “peace”—having repeated 23 times—is also crucial for the self-governed democracy as maintaining regional stability is of the utmost importance to Taiwan’s democratic feats and prosperity.
At the podium, Lai devoted much of his time to underscoring the importance of upholding peace and democracy, two pillars upon which the democratic island rests. Taiwan “will continue using its democratic vitality as a force for good, to promote national development and deepen international cooperation,” Lai claimed, hailing Taiwan as “a global beacon” as expected. As Lai reiterated his commitment to “continue working with other democratic nations to form a democratic community and share our experiences across a range of fields,” his speech provides Taiwan’s partners with an essential guarantee. While facing the lingering threat of authoritarian coercion, Lai expresses his desire to collaborate with democracies to “combat disinformation” and “strengthen democratic resilience.”
Lai further pledges to “uphold the Four Commitments, neither yield nor provoke” and “maintain the status quo” vis-à-vis China. In 2021, then-president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) touted the “Four Commitments” when she stated that the government and people of Taiwan are dedicated to defending democracy and sovereignty while also honouring the future of the nation according to the wishes of its people. “The future of the Republic of China” (Taiwan’s official name), Lai stated, reiterating Tsai’s political philosophy, “will be decided by its 23 million people.” This indicates that Lai will uphold the tenet and foreign-policy framework laid out by Tsai.
To portray Taiwan as an ardent advocate of stability, Lai framed the island’s resolve to maintain the current state of affairs across the Taiwan Strait. These narratives highlight Taiwan’s desire to play the role of a peacemaker and stabiliser rather than a provocateur. “Peace is priceless, and war has no winners,” Lai declared with sincerity. In the days preceding his inauguration, Lai signalled his intention to communicate with China but underscored that such dialogue should adhere to “the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefits, and dignity.” While keeping the door open for official dialogue, which has been suspended for eight years, Lai, and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have said on multiple occasions that only the Taiwanese people can decide their future. A survey conducted in 2023 by National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center found that over 80 per cent of Taiwanese citizens wanted to maintain the status quo with China.
Lai also promised to embark on “expansion” and “reform” strategies to meet the expectations and alleviate the concerns of the Taiwanese people. These efforts were covered under his “National Project of Hope,” a sweeping policy that aims to support all walks of life in Taiwan in many areas, including childcare, long-term care, social housing services, education, the legal system, public and transportation safety, labour insurance, ecosystem, and innovation economy. He likewise pledged to turn Taiwan into an “AI island” by strengthening the nation’s leverage in the semiconductor, next-gen communications, and high-tech sectors.
The public can also learn about Lai’s long-term plans for handling domestic issues. Lai promised an open government, democratic rule, honesty, and diligence while committing to value meritocracy. Forging “public policy” and promoting “a voting age of 18” with the active participation of the citizenry are two instances the new President underlined to attain transparency and civic engagement. However, the hurdle remains; in Taiwan, discussions about lowering the voting age from 20 to 18 to encourage youth participation have raged for almost two decades with no resolution in sight.
Other challenges are here to stay. A political earthquake has rocked Taiwan’s internal affairs. Physical altercations and verbal assaults broke out on May 17 as lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties failed to reach an agreement on legislative reform bills. This bodes poorly for the new President, especially on issues concerning military training, an increase in crucial national defence budgets, and investment in the production of indigenous weapons to strengthen the island’s defence. Domestic disunity became apparent as lawmakers from the main opposition party, Kuomintang (KMT), attempted to challenge Lai’s presidential leadership by visiting Taiping, a disputed island controlled by Taiwan but also claimed by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, just two days ahead of Lai’s inauguration.
China, meanwhile, would tighten the screws by launching military incursions and cognitive warfare against the island’s people, all while attempting to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and poach its allies. While Lai urged China to cease its “political and military intimidation,” Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) issued a warning that “Taiwan independence” and peace across the Strait are “as irreconcilable as fire and water” in the days leading up to his inauguration, indicating that China did not take his call seriously. The TAO’s spokesperson, Chen Binhua (陈斌华), blasted Lai’s inauguration address, claiming that it was a “dangerous signal” from Lai to seek “Taiwan independence” and to provoke actions that would threaten the stability of the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan, perennial tensions with the overbearing neighbour will continue to persist. Because “even if we accept the entirety of China’s position and give up our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear,” Lai was right when he said that pursuing peace should be paired with vigilance.
All-in efforts to counter China’s grey-zone harassment and bolster Taiwan’s resilience in times of crises undoubtedly need joint efforts from lawmakers in the Legislature Yuan, another name for Taiwan’s unicameral parliament. Still, partisan politics and ongoing divisions have caused a headache for Lai, particularly at a time when the new administration needs domestic unity to pass legislation and present a united front on foreign policy, including viable strategies to navigate cross-Strait relations through the current impasse.
Instead of walking away from this reality, Lai found a nuanced way to deal with challenges, saying that “a lack of absolute majority means that the ruling and opposition parties are now all able to share their ideas.” Lai also urged parties to “[undertake] the nation’s challenges as one,” signifying that parties in Taiwan should collaborate to address common challenges. In a notable move, the new President extended an olive branch to opposition parties by indicating that in the Legislative Yuan, “the majority should respect the minority, while the minority accepts majority rule.” He went on to say that “when we uphold the spirit of ‘people above all’ and ‘nation above party,’ national policy will naturally and smoothly progress.” His balanced remarks and appeals are overt efforts towards promoting internal harmony and collaboration from opposition parties, as in Taiwan, “interests of the people come first.”
In terms of foreign relations, Lai’s top foreign-policy priority lies in seeking support from democracies by portraying Taiwan as a sine qua non for upholding stability and prosperity. This strategy was salient in Lai’s inaugural speech. Highlighting Taiwan’s significant role as a vibrant democracy and “a key player in supply chains for global democracies,” striving to benefit the global community is one endeavour. Another includes bolstering “the strength of deterrence” by promoting the four-pillar plan to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, including strengthening national defence, improving economic security, establishing stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and cherishing values-based diplomacy. These pragmatic and consistent peace endeavours to uphold the cross-Strait status quo were first spelt out by Lai in his 2023 Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Considering the democratic backsliding and the rise of authoritarianism, such as in China and Russia, it is crucial to heed Lai’s presidential statement and its implications. The call for attention is not simply because Taiwan—a vital liberal democracy—has experienced Beijing’s repression with bravery but because its resilience thus far has benefited the world. Under the motto “Taiwan Can Help,” the unwavering democracy has helped bolster democracy in Asia while contributing to the global community. Taiwan is sailing into an era that Lai characterised as “full of challenges, yet also brimming with limitless hope,” and now is the time for his experience and statecraft to be materialised.
Huynh Tam Sang is a lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City-University of Social Sciences and Humanities, a Young Leaders Program member of the Pacific Forum, a research fellow at the Taiwan NextGen Foundation, and a visiting scholar at National Taiwan University as part of the 2024 MOFA Taiwan Fellowship.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘Presidential Inauguration‘.
Taiwan Insight 