Sun, May 19, 2024 page1

• Lai to emphasize stability in speech

  CALL FOR UNITY: Lai and his administration, who take office amid a divided and partisan legislature, have faith that Taiwanese know their destinies are intertwined, a source said

  • By Chen Yun and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  President-elect William Lai’s (賴清德) inaugural address tomorrow would emphasize solidarity, steadfastness, confidence and responsibility as the themes of his administration, an incoming senior security official said yesterday.

  Lai, who succeeds President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) after having been her vice president for the past four years, would have to deal with a China that has ramped up pressure on Taiwan — with almost daily military incursions near its airspace.

  His inaugural address would sum up his vision for defending the nation’s democracy, peace and prosperity, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous.

  

  Vice President William Lai celebrates his presidential election victory in Taipei on Jan. 13.

  Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP

  Lai would underscore continuity with Tsai’s policy of raising the nation’s profile in the international community by contributing to overcoming global challenges, the official said.

  The speech would recognize that political partisanship is likely to become persistent and would compound the dangers posed by Beijing’s relentless campaign of coercion toward Taiwan’s national sovereignty, they said.

  Lai would emphasize the importance of solidarity in countering Beijing’s efforts to sow division and strife, and that the government would uphold policies supported by national consensus and focus on improving Taiwan, they said.

  The incoming administration’s policymaking, as encapsulated in Lai’s “National Project of Hope” policy blueprints, would be directed at realizing the principles of democracy, peace and public good, they said.

  Steadfastness would underline the administration’s desire to continue with the foundations laid by Tsai, aimed at transforming the nation into an indispensable agent of stability in regional security and the global economy, they said.

  Lai’s theme of confidence refers to staying the course on the policy of developing resilience and innovation, and realizing the Taiwanese values of hard work, kindness and generosity in dealing with the world, they said.

  The president-elect would assure the nation of his willingness to be accountable to Taiwanese and direct the government to act as a responsible member of the international community, they said.

  He would say that Taiwan must contribute to solving global challenges in solidarity with the world and conduct its affairs with dignity, they said.

  Lai also faces major domestic challenges after his Democratic Progressive Party lost its legislative majority in January’s elections.

  Asked to elaborate on Lai’s strategy to deal with division and partisanship in government, the source said the president-elect would be diligent in communicating with the public on matters of state.

  The administration has faith in the principle that Taiwanese know that their destinies are bound together and that individual survival is found in common security, they said.

  Additional reporting by Reuters
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