Taiwan thanks U.S. for support, China protests

Europe 1 with AFP 11:03 a.m., January 15, 2024

Taiwan's President-elect Lai Ching-te on Monday thanked the United States for its support during a meeting with a U.S. delegation, with Beijing immediately reacting to oppose any official exchanges between Taipei and Washington. "I am grateful to the U.S. for its strong support for Taiwanese democracy, which is a testament to the close and strong partnership between Taiwan and the U.S.," Lai Ching-te said two days after his election, "even though China continues to harass Taiwan with military and other activities."

In response, Beijing said it was "firmly opposed" to any official contact between Taiwan and the United States, saying it also "rejects any interference by the United States in Taiwan's affairs in any way and under any pretext." Under intense pressure from China, which considers Taiwan one of its provinces, the island has also lost one of its few diplomatic allies with the announcement by Nauru, a micro-state in the Pacific, of severing ties with Taipei.

Nauru flag removed in Taipei

Taiwan is now officially recognized by only 12 countries in the world. Denouncing a "surprise attack", Taipei accused Beijing of having paid "economic aid" to Nauru to influence it and thus wanted to "asphyxiate Taiwan" on the international stage. "While the whole world congratulates Taiwan on the success of the elections, Beijing has launched a diplomatic crackdown, which is a response to democratic values and a blatant challenge to the stability of the international order," presidential spokeswoman Olivia Lin said.

In Taipei, the Nauru flag was removed outside the embassy at midday, when the announcement was made official. Soon after, Beijing said it "welcomed" Nauru's decision.

"Our congratulations on the presidential and legislative elections"

Earlier, the U.S. delegation, which was presented as informal, met with outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen, who, like Lai Ching-te, came from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who hailed a "very significant visit." The commission, made up of former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, former Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Laura Rosenberger, president of the American Institute in Taiwan, is scheduled to leave Taiwan on Tuesday.

"We are here to congratulate you and the Taiwanese people on the presidential and legislative elections," Hadley said, hailing Taiwanese democracy as "an example to the whole world." In 2016, Washington sent an informal delegation to Taiwan after a presidential election.

The visit comes at the end of an election campaign marked by mounting diplomatic and military pressure from China, which considers Taiwan one of its provinces to be reunified by force if necessary. Lai Ching-te, the outgoing vice-president, considers the island to be de facto independent and has promised to protect it from "threats and intimidation" from Beijing.

The status of Taiwan is arguably the most explosive issue in China-US relations. While Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, the U.S. Congress has also imposed the supply of arms to Taiwan, with the stated aim of deterring China from any expansionist intentions.

During the campaign, China urged Washington "not to interfere" in Taiwan's presidential election.

Finding the right balance with China

China insisted on Saturday evening that the outcome of the election did not change "the inevitable trend towards the reunification of China". Lai Ching-te, 64, will take office on May 20, alongside his vice president, Hsiao Bi-khim, a former Taipei representative in Washington. The man who in the past had defined himself as "a pragmatic architect of Taiwan's independence", has since softened his rhetoric: now, like Tsai Ing-wen, he adopts a more nuanced position, saying that an independence process is not necessary because the island has, according to him, this de facto status.

Promising to be "on the side of democracy", the president-elect also plans to "continue exchanges and cooperation with China", the largest trading partner of Taiwan, a territory of 23 million inhabitants located 180 kilometres from the Chinese coast and considered by China as one of its provinces. A conflict in the Strait separating them would be disastrous for the global economy: more than 50% of the containers transported in the world pass through it and the island produces 70% of the world's semiconductors.