Voters in Taiwan have elected Lai Ching-te as their new President in the third successive victory for Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, which supports and promotes the island’s separate identity from China.
Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state (independent from any other power), while China views Taiwan as one of its provinces with which it will inevitably reunify.
Lai, previously the vice-president, said after his win: “We didn’t let external forces influence our election. That’s because we decided that only we can choose our president.”
China’s response to Taiwan’s new president
China has previously referred to Lai as a “troublemaker”, protesting against his long advocacy for Taiwanese independence.
A spokesperson for China responded to the new President’s election in a statement saying: “Taiwan is China’s Taiwan… Our position on resolving the Taiwan issue and achieving national reunification is consistent, and our will is rock-solid.”
Australia’s response
The Australian Government released a statement congratulating Lai on his victory and “the people of Taiwan on the peaceful exercise of their democratic rights”.
“The smooth conduct of the elections is a testament to the maturity and strength of Taiwan’s democracy.”
