Taiwan’s Inauguration of Lai Ching-te Era Sparks Concerns over Potential Chinese Retaliation

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense stated on the 23rd that it detected 49 sorties of Chinese main and auxiliary fighter aircraft of various types going to sea on the 23rd, of which 35 sorties crossed the central line and

Beijing—— On May 20th, Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim were inaugurated as the 16th President and Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Their inaugural address, titled “Building a New Taiwan of Democracy, Peace, and Prosperity,” was delivered before an audience of over a hundred foreign dignitaries and overseas Chinese democracy observers in Taipei.

Coinciding with “520,” a date whose pronunciation in Chinese sounds like “I love you” and is celebrated as a day for lovers by Chinese youth, Chinese state media attempted to overshadow the Taiwanese event by extensively covering marriage registrations across China.

This move appeared aimed at diverting public attention from the political significance of Taiwan’s presidential inauguration.

In his Monday speech, President Lai called on Beijing to respect the objective existence of Taiwan’s government and the outcomes of its democratic elections.

Since Tsai Ing-wen’s election in 2016, Beijing has accused her of advocating for Taiwan’s independence and colluding with foreign forces to undermine relations with China.

On inauguration day, the calls for “military reunification” among Chinese nationalists grew louder.

Influential Chinese internet commentator Xiang Ligang even suggested on Weibo that the Chinese military should disrupt Taiwan’s power supply over the summer to pressure its people into submission.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, who took office on May 20, inspected the military for the first time as commander-in-chief of the armed forces on the 23rd. On the left is the civilian-born Defense Minister Gu Lixiong.

Beijing views Taiwan as a part of its sovereign territory and does not recognize the Republic of China government. Efforts to isolate Taiwan have been extensive, from United Nations exclusion to diplomatic and economic blockades against the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Taiwan, in turn, has consistently rejected Beijing’s “one country, two systems” proposal, fearing it would dismantle Taiwan’s existing democratic system. Ahead of the January elections, Taiwan’s national security agencies reported numerous instances of disinformation originating from mainland China. Simultaneously, China’s Ministry of State Security announced a series of espionage cases involving Taiwan during its National Security Education Day on April 15th.

On May 23, 2024, a large screen on the streets of Beijing broadcast news that the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army was conducting military exercises around Taiwan.

Since 1949, Taiwan and Beijing have engaged in various forms of conflict, and the methods of this struggle have only diversified over time. Amid China’s intensification of patriotic and anti-secessionist education, many mainland Chinese have become indifferent to Taiwan, with some questioning the relevance of the issue to their own lives.

As Taiwan’s inauguration took place against the backdrop of China’s ongoing economic and employment challenges, the contrast was stark. Some Chinese netizens lamented the perceived disparity in governance between the two sides.

The Chinese government frequently uses nationalist sentiment to divert attention from domestic economic issues and prevent social unrest caused by rising inequality.

On May 23, 2024, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (center) watched a demonstration of the US-made Spur air defense system while inspecting the military in Taoyuan. Lai Ching-te said he would stand on the front line to defend

On the day of Lai’s inauguration, Chinese internet regulators heightened censorship efforts, not only maintaining bans on content promoting materialism and get-rich-quick fantasies but also scrutinizing political discussions to prevent debates about the merits of different systems.

In his inauguration speech, Lai explicitly stated, “The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Everyone must unite and cherish the nation; no political party should sacrifice national sovereignty for power.”

This declaration was met with strong disapproval from Beijing. The Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman condemned Lai’s speech as a dangerous provocation aimed at independence, accusing him of threatening peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also decried Lai’s actions as a betrayal of the Chinese nation.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Joint Logistics Support Force released a rare commentary titled “Playing with Fire Will Get You Burned,” further indicating Beijing’s severe reaction. While Lai did not explicitly advocate for Taiwanese independence, Beijing’s response suggests that it may adopt harsher measures against Taiwan.

Following the January elections, China’s Ministry of State Security reiterated that the Anti-Secession Law serves as a deterrent against separatist forces, not the Taiwanese populace.

On Friday, Taiwanese legislators debated during a session of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

President Xi Jinping’s recent article in the Party’s theoretical journal, “Qiushi,” emphasized the need to combat separatism and promote national reunification.

Several Chinese government-aligned scholars have commented that both peaceful and military solutions remain on the table for Taiwan. Peking University’s Taiwan Studies Institute Director Li Yihu analyzed Lai’s speech, noting its emphasis on the concept of “one country on each side,” reflecting a stronger pro-independence stance.

Chinese nationalists advocate for military action to crush the independence movement, while moderates suggest psychological, media, and informational warfare to win over Taiwan’s youth.

Taiwan, aware of the geopolitical implications, particularly concerning platforms like TikTok, is pursuing broader regulatory strategies for all social media to safeguard its democracy.