William Lai Ching-te
William Lai Ching-te was sworn in as Taiwan’s president in a ceremony that included a 21-gun salute, after which he praised the self-governing island’s democracy and urged China to stop its intimidation.
Today, in a ceremony in Taipei’s presidential building, Lai and Vice President Hsia Bi-khim took their oaths in front of a portrait of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China (ROC), the formal name for Taiwan’s government.
The parliament speaker presented the 64-year-old with two seals representing presidential power: one the ROC seal and the other, a seal of honor. The Nationalists brought both to the island in 1949 after losing China’s civil war to the Communists.
During the ceremony, outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen signed off after eight years and two terms in office.
Addressing the crowds gathered at the presidential house, Lai noted the significance of May 20, the day in 1949 when martial law was imposed and also the day in 1997 when Taiwan’s first popularly-elected president was sworn into office, “signalling to the international community that the Republic of China, Taiwan, is a sovereign and independent nation with sovereignty resting in the people”.
Lai emphasized that Taiwan would make no concessions on its democracy and liberties, and urged Beijing to stop its aggression against Taiwan and work to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region, ensuring the world is free from the fear of war.
Beijing claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out using force to attain its ambitions.
Throughout Tsai’s two terms in office, China dispatched military aircraft and ships near the island and has continued to do so since Lai, whom it considers a separatist and a troublemaker, won the January elections.
Representatives from 29 countries attended the ceremony on Monday, including Taiwan’s last 12 diplomatic allies in the Pacific, Central America, and the Holy See.
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