Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te hopes for continued U.S. support. He reflects on the election and rejection of Beijing’s favored candidates. US-Taiwan relations to strengthen under Lai’s administration.
## Taiwan’s President-Elect Reaffirms Call for US Support
On January 15, 2024, Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, met with a delegation of former senior U.S. officials and expressed his hope for continued support from the United States for Taiwan. He also emphasized his administration’s commitment to upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and defending the island.
The U.S. delegation, including former National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley and former Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, met with a range of leading political figures in Taiwan, including President Tsai Ing-wen. Hadley conveyed the American people’s congratulations on the election and reaffirmed the solid, principled, and bipartisan commitment of the United States to Taiwan.
Lai, who won the presidency as a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, has pledged to strengthen diplomatic ties with democratic allies and protect Taiwan from threats and intimidation by China. Despite Lai’s victory, Beijing dismissed the DPP’s representation of mainstream public opinion and warned against crossing the “Taiwan question” red line in U.S.-China ties.
## China Reacts to Taiwan’s Election and U.S. Delegation Visit
The Chinese foreign ministry criticized the U.S. State Department’s statement on the election as a breach of the one-China principle, warning against sending “wrong signals” to Taiwan independence separatist forces. China’s mouthpiece publication, Global Times, warned that China has the strength and determination to resolve the “Taiwan question” and asserted its firm control over the initiative on solving the issue.
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the U.S. delegation’s visit symbolized bipartisan government support for Taiwan and underlined the importance of democratic values in advancing Taiwan’s international standing.
## U.S. President Biden Reiterates Position on Taiwan
U.S. President Joe Biden restated Washington’s position of not supporting Taiwan independence and clarified that Washington maintains a “one China policy” without taking a stance on sovereignty over Taiwan. The U.S. position contrasts with Beijing’s “one China principle,” which regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China governed from Beijing.
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