President-elect William Lai (賴清德) would express “concrete” goodwill toward China in his inauguration speech today, and call for both sides of the Taiwan Strait to pursue peace, a senior official briefed on the matter said.
Lai would say that Taiwan will continue to be a promoter of regional peace and stability, the official said.
Lai, 64, is detested by Beijing as a “separatist.”
Photo: AFP
In his speech, the incoming president would pledge to maintain the “status quo” with China “neither being overbearing nor self-effacing,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He would call for both sides of the Strait to pursue peace and common prosperity, the official added.
Lai would also mention that China has ramped up military and diplomatic pressures on Taiwan.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
Last night, Lai told foreign dignitaries at the Taipei Guest House that the inauguration ceremony would be a testament of Taiwan’s solid democracy.
Referring to earlier comments from Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Lai said that tomorrow’s peaceful transfer of power would be a “milestone for Taiwan’s democracy.”
“It is also based on a solid foundation laid by the people of Taiwan over the decades,” Lai said at a party for foreign guests who are visiting for the inauguration.
Thanks to the efforts of Taiwanese and support from foreign friends, the nation has made great progress politically, economically and socially, he said.
He vowed to “continue to walk on the path of democracy and ... continue to engage with the world and make Taiwan stronger,” while calling for the guests’ continued support.
Earlier in the day, Lai and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) took visiting leaders of diplomatic allies to experience traditional shrimp fishing and enjoy local cuisine in Taipei.
Lai and Hsiao were joined by Eswatini’s King Mswati III, Marshallese President Hilda Heine, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and Paraguayan President Santiago Pena Palacios at a shrimp pond.
They were also joined by Belizean Prime Minister John Briceno, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo, Saint Kitts and Nevis Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Hanley and Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Ramiro Martinez.
King Mswati III and Heine took first and second place respectively for catching the most shrimps, each winning a golden fishing rod.
A source said the shrimping event was the second Lai has hosted since taking office as vice president in May 2020. He hosted a similar outing in 2021 with the Australian, British, Indian, Japanese and US representatives to Taiwan.
The “culturally creative” event was meant to enhance relationships with the nation’s diplomatic allies and friendly nations in a fun way, an unnamed source said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old