Taiwan urges Beijing to ‘face reality’ and ‘respect results’ of presidential election

Taiwan on Sunday called on China to “respect the results of the presidential election” won the day before by Lai Ching-te, who affirms the island’s de facto independence and vows to protect it from threats of reunification.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges Beijing authorities to respect the election results, face reality and refrain from repressing Taiwan,” the Taiwanese ministry said in a statement.

Saying it had received congratulations from “more than 50 countries, including 12 diplomatic allies,” the ministry condemned the “absurd and erroneous comments” of Chinese authorities.

Earlier on Sunday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on social media that the world and the fact that Taiwan is part of China will not change.”

As of Saturday evening, the communist country, which considers Taiwan one of its provinces that can be reunified by force if necessary, confirmed that the vote “will not hinder the inevitable trend of reunification with China.”

“We (…) will resolutely oppose secessionist activities aimed at Taiwan’s independence as well as foreign interference,” warned Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the China office in charge of relations with Taiwan.

“Serious danger”

At the end of a campaign marked by intense diplomatic and military pressure from China, outgoing Vice President Lai Ching-te, 64, won the presidential election in one round with 40.1% of the vote.

He will take office on May 20 along with his vice president, Xiao Bihim, Taipei’s former representative in Washington.

Coming from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), like outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen, who failed to run again after two terms, Lai Ching-te vowed to “defend Taiwan from China’s ongoing threats and intimidation.”

He who in the past called himself the “pragmatic architect of Taiwanese independence” has since softened his language: now, like Tsai Ing-wen, he takes a more nuanced position, arguing that an independent process is not necessary. because the island is de facto independent, with its own government and elections.

But Beijing still perceives him as promoting “separatist independence-related activities” and a “serious danger” to relations between China and Taiwan.

China therefore urged the Taiwanese to make the “right choice,” but they chose Lai Ching-te over his main opponent, Hou Yu-iha of the Kuomintang, who advocated rapprochement with Beijing.

Unofficial American delegation

“We say to the international community that between democracy and authoritarianism, we will be on the side of democracy,” the president-elect told his supporters, but promised to “continue exchanges and cooperation with China,” the island’s first commercial partner.

Taiwan’s status is one of the most explosive issues in the China-US rivalry, and Washington plans to send an “informal delegation” to the island after the vote.

US diplomatic chief Antony Blinken congratulated Lai Ching-te as well as the Taiwanese for their “robust democratic system.” But “we do not support independence,” President Joe Biden assured.

The United States does not recognize Taiwan as a state and considers the People’s Republic of China the only legitimate government, but nevertheless provides significant military assistance to the island.

The European Union “congratulated” “all voters who took part in this democratic event.”

“Raise the pressure”

The territory of 23 million people, located 180 kilometers off the coast of China, is considered a model of democracy in Asia.

“An unprecedented third consecutive presidential victory for the ruling party will disappoint China,” commented Bonnie Glaser, a China specialist at the German Marshall Fund in Washington. “But this is unlikely to lead to short-term changes in Beijing’s reunification strategy.” »

The analyst also believes it is “unlikely (…) that Chinese President Xi Jinping will resume official contacts with the Taiwanese government, which were suspended eight years ago,” following the election of Tsai Ing-wen.

China’s military response to the vote “probably will not be immediate,” said Alexander Huang, a military expert at Tamkang University in Taipei.

But “Beijing will increase pressure on Taiwan in other ways because Lai Ching-te is not like Tsai Ing-wen,” he said, assessing that the president-elect is perceived by Beijing as more radical than his predecessor.

A week before the election, China sent balloons, planes and warships across the strait, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry.

A conflict in the strait would be catastrophic for the global economy: the island supplies 70% of the planet’s semiconductors and handles more than 50% of the world’s containers.