Who is William Lai, the new president of Taiwan?

Speaking to reporters after registering the victory, Lai said: “I have an important responsibility to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” He added that he is determined to safeguard Taiwan from “threats and intimidation from China.”

Here is a look at the new president-elect and why China has been hostile towards him.

Modest background

Lai, 64, grew up poor in a coal-mining village in northern Taiwan. His father, a miner, died in a coal mine disaster when he was two years old. Lai was brought up by his mother alongside five siblings.

Luo Wen-jia, a former cabinet minister and DPP’s former secretary-general told Nikkei Asia: “Because his mother had to raise six children while living in a tiny house next to the mines, he has a very good relationship with his mother and knows how hard she works”. Lou added that Lai’s inclination to persevere comes from the environment in which he grew up.

Doctor-turned-politician

Lai studied medicine at prestigious universities in Taiwan and went on to receive a master’s degree in public health from Harvard.

When Taiwan ended nearly 40 years of martial law in the late 1980s and initiated political reforms, Lai gave up his medical practice for politics. He was first elected as a lawmaker in 1998 then became the mayor of Tainan City in 2010. Lai also served as Taiwan’s premier — nominally the principal advisor to the president of the republic and positioned as the head of the central government — from 2017 to 2019.

In November 2019, Lai was elected as the vice president. Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen was re-elected for the second time.

A ‘separatist’

There isn’t any doubt over China’s dislike of Lai. Beijing officials consider him a “separatist” for his views on Taiwan’s sovereignty and said he would bring “severe danger” to cross-strait relations, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The roots of tensions between Lai and China go back to 2017, when he described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”. This sparked a row as Taiwan has neither formally declared independence from China nor united with it. In recent years, Lai has distanced himself from his advocacy for formal independence, but Beijing has remained hostile towards him.

In the run-up to the elections, China dubbed Lai a “Taiwan independence liar” and “hoodlum to the extreme”, saying that any moves towards Taiwan’s formal independence meant war, and rebuffed Lai’s calls for talks.

Tough road ahead

The biggest challenge that Lai as president will face is how to protect Taiwan from China’s interference. Beijing has claimed the self-governing island of 23 million as part of its territory and threatens to take control by force if Taipei ever formally rules out “unification.” Under President Xi Jinping, China has escalated these threats and military activity around Taiwan, saying that unification is inevitable.

During his campaign, Lai promised to maintain the status quo and said he was committed to preserving peace and boosting the island’s defences. He also said he would focus on securing Taiwan’s global status by strengthening ties with the United States and other friendly democracies.

It remains to be seen how China reacts to Lai’s victory. Observers fear that the development could exacerbate tensions, leading to a conflict and drawing in the United States.