The winner of Taiwan’s presidential election, Lai Ching-te, who faces increasingly turbulent relations with China, describes himself as a “pragmatic worker for the independence” of the democratically governed island.

The veteran politician and current vice president, 64, pledged during the campaign to defend the identity of this territory of 23 million people against China, a communist regime power that considers Taiwan one of its provinces.

To this end, Lai, who will succeed outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen in May, plans to continue the policy of military reinforcement, in the face of Beijing’s multiplying threats to, if the country needs it eight, to resort to violence to “reunify” the country.

A polarized Taiwan chooses between ‘peace or war’, between ‘democracy or autocracy’

Although his speech has been measured in recent months, Lai’s candidacy has raised tension in Beijing, which defined him as a “source of danger and war” in the Taiwan Strait.

And shortly after the election results were announced, he reaffirmed that “the reunification” of China is “inevitable.”

“We are determined to protect Taiwan from China’s continued intimidation and threats,” Lai Ching-te said in his victory speech, in which he also pledged to maintain peace and stability in the region.

China and Taiwan have been de facto separated since 1949, when communist forces defeated nationalists in the civil war, who took refuge on the island where they established an autocratic regime that turned into a democracy in the 1990s.

At home with five brothers and sisters

Lai, unlike most members of Taiwan’s political elite, comes from humble beginnings.

He was born on the island in 1959 and was raised by his mother along with his five siblings in a village near New Taipei after his miner father died when he was a child.

Lai graduated in Public Health Management from Harvard University in the United States and returned to Taiwan to work at a hospital in the south of the island before entering politics in 1996.

He served as deputy, mayor of the southern city of Tainan and prime minister (2017-2019) before being elected vice president in 2020 during the second term of Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

During Tsai’s two terms, relations with China deteriorated drastically and high-level communications between both sides of the 180 km wide strait were severed over her stance in favor of the island’s sovereignty.

During his campaign, Lai reiterated his position that Taiwan is “already independent” and does not need a formal declaration of separation.

He was open to communicating with Beijing but on conditions of “parity and dignity” and warned that he has no intention of sacrificing Taiwan’s sovereignty to strengthen ties for reasons of economic prosperity.

“Peace without sovereignty (…) is a false peace,” he recently declared.

During his political career, he was even more explicit than President Tsai on the issue of independence.

That’s why some voices are suggesting that allies like the United States, Taipei’s main arms supplier, are concerned about their future management of relations with the top Asian power and the world’s second-largest economy.

“The question will be to what extent Lai can stick to the cautious and moderate path that Tsai has set out,” said Amanda Hsiao of the International Crisis Group think tank.

The outgoing president herself referred to her dolphin’s more combative nature in an election ad that aired before the election.

“You are much fiercer than me (…), you step forward and fight against others,” he said in the ad, in which the two drive along a scenic road.

“But I do it for the security of my country (…), because protecting Taiwanese democracy is the most important thing,” Lai responds before the outgoing president hands her the wheel.

These elections were held in the shadow of the threats from China, the communist Asian power and the world’s second largest economy, which considers this island as part of its territory and has never ceased to proclaim its intention to seize the country by force to ‘reunite’. needed.

“We are determined to protect Taiwan from China’s continued intimidation and threats,” Lai Ching-te said in his victory speech.

“We tell the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will be on the side of democracy,” added the politician, who will assume the presidency in May. (JO)