Democratic Progressive Get together’s (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te is ready to be the subsequent president of Taiwan after he gained Saturday’s (Jan 13) election, defeating Hou Yu-ih of the Kuomintang (KMT) and Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan Folks’s Get together (TPP) by an enormous margin. In his victory speech, Lai, 64, mentioned that Taiwan would stand by the facet of democracy.
“I wish to thank the Taiwanese folks for writing a brand new chapter in our democracy. We’re telling the worldwide group that between democracy and authoritarianism, we are going to stand on the facet of democracy,” he mentioned.
“The Taiwanese folks have efficiently resisted efforts from exterior forces to affect this election,” he added.
“We do not wish to change into enemies with China. We will change into buddies. We’re decided to safeguard Taiwan from persevering with threats and intimidation from China,” he added.
The president-elect additionally pledged to take care of peace and stability within the Taiwan Strait saying, “I’ll act… in a fashion that’s balanced and keep the cross-strait establishment.”
The DPP champions Taiwan’s separate identification and rejects China’s territorial claims. The island has been a democratic success story since holding its first direct presidential election in 1996.
Who’s Lai Ching-te?
Additionally broadly identified by his English title William, Lai Ching-te is a health care provider by coaching. He’s at the moment the vp of Taiwan and can take workplace as president on Could 20. Lai was born on Oct 6, 1959. He attended college in Taipei and accomplished his undergraduate research (bachelor in science) at Nationwide Taiwan College’s Division of Bodily Drugs and Rehabilitation.
Lai then did his post-graduate research in Medical Science at Nationwide Cheng Kung College. He then obtained a Grasp of Public Well being diploma from Harvard College, making him one of many few physicians in Taiwan with rehabilitation, medical care, and public well being experience.
“In 1994 when he was a chief resident at Nationwide Cheng Kung College Hospital, Taiwan was holding its first direct election for Taiwan provincial governor,” in line with Lai’s official web site.
His entry into politics
In 1996, Lai gave up his medical profession and entered into politics through the Taiwan Strait Disaster. In 1998, he was elected to the Legislative Yuan representing Tainan Metropolis. Lai’s web site mentioned that he was named “Greatest Legislator” by Citizen Congress Watch and led delegations to Japan and america to conduct parliamentary diplomacy.
He was the previous mayor of Tainan in southern Taiwan and premier from 2017-19. Lai grew to become vp in 2020, changing into Tsai Ing-wen’s (outgoing Taiwan president) working mate the place they gained a landslide victory after warning of the risk to Taiwan from China given Beijing’s crackdown on anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Throughout this 12 months’s election marketing campaign, Lai mentioned that he would persist with Tsai’s path of proffering talks with China and sustaining peace and the established order, the information company Reuters reported. The 64-year-old additionally pledged to defend Taiwan and reiterated solely its folks can resolve the island’s future.
(With inputs from businesses)
