ESC atmosphere against threats: Taiwan’s new president demonstrates indomitability against China

At the celebration of Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, Taiwan presents itself as free, colorful and unwavering. But the country’s democracy is facing new problems – and not just because of war threats from Beijing.

In his first speech in office, Taiwan’s new president called on China to stop threatening his country and to hold talks with the democratically elected government. The People’s Republic should stop political and military intimidation to ensure peace and stability, said Lai Ching-te after his swearing in. For such demonstratively unbending statements, Lai received particular cheers in Taiwan’s capital Taipei. The previous vice president won the presidential election in January.

The inauguration celebration in front of thousands of spectators was largely a colorful, cheerful and loud spectacle with rappers, acrobats and dancing fantasy characters. But the festival of democracy took place against the backdrop of sharp threats from Beijing. The communist leadership there describes politicians from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), of which Lai is also a member, as “separatists.” After the election of his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, Beijing broke off contacts with Taiwan’s government – although the president always emphasized that she did not want to change Taiwan’s status and was open to talks. Lai will most likely want to continue Tsai’s self-confident, unwavering course, even in the face of threats, which anchored Taiwan more firmly in the West in search of support. Taiwan must stand “side by side with other democratic countries” to achieve “peace through strength,” he said.

When several fighter jet squadrons from Taiwan’s air force thundered over the government district after the 64-year-old’s speech, it was a demonstration of its own strength – but it was also a reminder that China is working on plans for air strikes and an invasion of the island. If it gets serious about its aggression, a conflict could break out around Taiwan, which – in addition to death and destruction here – would, according to forecasts, have worse consequences for the global economy than the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and even the corona pandemic.

China wants to annex Taiwan

The two great powers China and the USA could collide because Washington would hardly stand idly by. The fact that Taiwan’s status may not be changed against the will of its residents has been the declared policy of the unofficial protecting power, the USA, for decades, even without diplomatic relations between the two countries. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among the guests of honor in Taipei. A group of German members of the Bundestag also arrived.

“Peace is the only option,” Lai quickly addressed the elephant in the room in his inaugural speech in front of the presidential palace. Beijing should recognize the existence of the Taiwanese state and choose “dialogue instead of confrontation, exchange instead of containment,” said the former doctor.

The leadership in Beijing has always described Taiwan as part of Chinese territory and wants to control the independently governed island, even though it was never part of the People’s Republic and the 23 million Taiwanese overwhelmingly do not want unification on Beijing’s terms. Under state and party leader Xi Jinping, China is increasingly asserting its claim to power, expressly does not rule out military intervention and wants to wear Taiwan down with threats, disinformation campaigns and other methods of exerting influence.

Self-confidence should arm the Taiwanese against this. Between Lai’s oath of office and his inaugural speech, military bands with flashing helmets only marched briefly. Then BMX riders and baseball players, a capella choirs and street dance groups to thumping bass provided a stark contrast to the stiff formality of the swearing-in ceremony. A look into the Recording of the official live stream It’s worth it from the one-hour mark onwards – some of it is more likely to be seen at the ESC than at a state event. The show program was intended to show Taiwan as the DPP and its supporters prefer to portray it: a diverse society that celebrates its freedoms.

“It won’t be easy years for Lai”

Freedom, respect and democracy, Taiwan as part of the world rather than isolated from it – the program’s moderators repeated such terms so often that no one could miss their meaning. Here too, China’s threat was always lurking in the background. During the national anthem, students whose school was damaged in a violent earthquake in early April sang along on stage. The moderators emphasized that they were an example of Taiwan’s resilience – a term that the government also likes to use in the face of Chinese intimidation. In fact, the Taiwanese are not doing China’s government the favor of falling into a collective panic, but are continuing to live their normal lives – even in the face of fighter jets that fly towards Taiwan almost every day and Chinese ships that are circling the island more and more often.

“It definitely won’t be an easy four years for Lai,” says Angela Stanzel ntv.de about the new president taking office. She recently spent several months conducting research in Taiwan for the German Science and Politics Foundation. As a concrete offer for initial gestures of relaxation, Lai suggested that China make mutual tourism and the admission of Chinese students to Taiwan’s universities possible again. The other side may respond to this, says Stanzel – but present it as if the initiative did not come from Lai, but from Beijing.

Lai will continue to face increasing pressure from China and must take a “path of balance” to maintain stability, said Stanzel. “It’s going to be mostly business as usual, and that’s not good news.”

There were scuffles in parliament on Friday

The president’s policies are complicated by Taiwan’s partisan divide. It is the responsibility of all parties to protect sovereignty and oppose annexation by China, emphasized Lai in his speech. He was alluding to the fact that Taiwan’s MPs had sent a very bad image of Taiwan’s democracy to the world last Friday – they wrestled with each other in the plenary hall, tore themselves off their feet and threw political opponents from the lectern.

The background to the embarrassing images that China must have been happy about: In the elections in January, the DPP lost its majority in parliament despite Lai’s presidential victory. It is now much more difficult for the government to push through their concerns. Setting the tone in parliament is the Kuomintang Party (KMT), which once ruled Taiwan in an authoritarian manner and, unlike the DPP, defines itself and the state as fundamentally Chinese – even if not in the sense of the People’s Republic. The reason for the dispute was the KMT’s legislative proposals with the aim of strengthening the position of parliament and giving MPs investigative powers. The DPP does not trust the KMT and complains above all that it wants to unduly shorten the legislative process. The DPP’s heavy-handed blockade tactics on Friday have a long tradition in Taiwan’s parliament as a last resort for a minority to test the majority’s resolve on particularly controversial projects. But anyone who doesn’t know the background sees above all immaturity and a questionable understanding of democracy.

Parties also have to cooperate instead of just arguing, the new president addressed the MPs right at the beginning of his speech. “The people of Taiwan have high expectations of sensible leadership,” which is the only way the country can develop stably. Lai “found good words” here, says Taiwan expert Angela Stanzel. He wants compromises “at least on the really important issues, both domestic and foreign policy.”

Parliament plans to continue deliberations on the controversial laws on Tuesday. Demonstrations have been announced outside. It remains to be seen whether Lai’s appeals have any effect. Most opposition politicians didn’t even get to hear them on site – they boycotted the inaugural ceremony.