When Lai Ching-te delivered his inaugural address outside the presidential palace in Taipei on a Monday, multiple audiences were on the receiving end of his words. In attendance were his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters in the square, a larger population of Taiwanese, 60 per cent of whom didn’t vote for him, and the global community.
However, the keenest observers likely resided within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing, minutely analysing each uttered word and sentence. The Taiwan Affairs Office criticised Lai for igniting clash, and certain Chinese media outlets were disgruntled about his labelling of Taiwan as a “nation.”
Beijing also kept track of what Lai chose not to say, and this omission from his speech gives rise to the belief that he could adopt a firmer stance towards cross-strait relations than his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen. A contrast between his Monday’s remarks and those expressed after the presidential election in January is telling.
In January, Lai stated that his approach with Beijing would adhere to ‘the constitutional order of the Republic of China,’ preserving a balanced relationship and sustaining the status quo across the strait. This was a repetition of what Tsai had declared in her 2016 inauguration, providing reassurance to Beijing since the constitution perceives one China, even if the Republic of China’s government only controls Taiwan.
In his cross-strait statements on Monday, Lai neglected to mention this matter. He also omitted reference to the 1992 agreement between Beijing and Taipei, where a One China policy was established and interpreted by each side in their own way.
Although Tsai didn’t endorse this so-called 1992 consensus, she acknowledged its historical existence in her 2016 inaugural speech. Despite Beijing’s arrogant dismissal, Tsai’s careful touch marked her eight-year term of diplomacy with both Beijing and Washington.
Lai lacks Tsai’s political finesse, as a previous trade negotiator who was minister for mainland affairs prior to her presidency. Not only did his Monday speech ruffle feathers in Beijing, it possibly stirred discomfort in Washington, which is wary of additional discord with China over Taiwan.