“I left behind ‘Taiwan in the world'” self-assessment
Focus on developing US relations and strengthening defense capabilities
Criticism of inviting Chinese invasion threats,
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen presents a medal of honor to President-elect Lai Ching-te in Taipei on the 13th, followed by a commemorative photo shoot. President Lai will be inaugurated as the 16th President of Taiwan on the 20th. AFP News Korea,
, ‘Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (68) will hand over the presidential office to President-elect Lai Ching-te (65) on the 20th, stepping down after 8 years in office. Dubbed as Taiwan’s ‘Iron Lady,’ President Tsai is evaluated for boosting Taiwan’s international status by standing up to China amid escalating US-China tensions.’,
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, ‘CNN stated on the 19th, “President Tsai has solidified Taiwan’s identity by advancing relations with the United States during her tenure,” while also noting, “Amid the increased threat of Chinese invasion under President Xi Jinping, she is leaving the presidency with that looming concern.” President Tsai remarked in her New Year’s speech this year, “What has changed in the past 8 years is that Taiwan is no longer overlooked. If someone asks me what legacy I leave behind in Taiwan, I will say I left ‘Taiwan in the world’.” President Tsai has been cautious yet firm in resetting relations with China during her two terms. Under the Trump administration, she maintained the alliance with the US, further strengthening it under the Biden government while clearly defining the ‘Taiwan independence’ line. However, some critics argue that President Tsai pushed the relationship with China to extremes. Hwang Kwei-bo, a professor of diplomacy at Taiwan National Chengchi University, stated, “President Tsai turned to the US by sacrificing relations with China,” adding, “While Taiwan needs to cooperate closely with the US, losing political communication with China is not wise, as maintaining a proper relationship with China is also necessary for Taiwan’s security. Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have decreased to 12 countries. Nauru and Honduras severed ties with Taiwan and strengthened relations with China.’,
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, ‘To overcome this diplomatic isolation, President Tsai pursued relations with democratic nations and implemented a ‘soft power’ strategy by resolving domestic issues such as social inequality. Taiwan invited parliamentary delegations from various countries worldwide to expand avenues of contact. In 2019, despite fierce opposition from churches and others, Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage, becoming the first in Asia to do so.’,
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, ‘President Tsai also focused on ‘defense reform.’ She extended the military service period from 4 months to 1 year and ramped up weapons program development to enhance combat readiness, including the introduction of Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine. During her tenure, the annual defense budget increased significantly to around $20 billion USD (27.1 trillion KRW). President Tsai explained, “Taiwan’s military strength has significantly strengthened compared to 8 years ago,” emphasizing that the amount invested in military capabilities is unprecedented.’,
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, ‘There are also criticisms that she relatively neglected livelihood issues due to focusing on external risks. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party suffered defeats to the opposition Kuomintang in two local elections, which were seen as midterm evaluations during President Tsai’s tenure. In the presidential election last January, it was analyzed that the increase in votes of over 26% for Kuo Wen-cheng, a candidate from the second largest party, the People First Party, resulted from dissatisfied votes from youth disenchanted with the Democratic Progressive Party.’,
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, ‘Emanuela Shao, a senior China analyst at the International Crisis Group, stated, “It is too early to evaluate President Tsai’s tenure,” adding, “The final assessment of the former president will depend on how the incoming President Lai Ching-te utilizes the achievements made by President Tsai.”‘\n’