Avast ye mateys! The tale of Taiwan's election be a clear sign o' China's future in 2024, arrr!
2024-01-13
Arrr! On the jolly day of January 13, scurvy dogs in Taiwan elected a new captain 'n legislators. China tried t' sway the election, but by the grace o' the sea gods, their feeble attempts be in vain. Lai Ching-te, a truehearted buccaneer, be chosen by the voters!
Taiwan's recent election saw China attempting to intimidate and sway voters to select its preferred candidates. China violated Taiwanese airspace, financed pro-Beijing social media, spread misinformation, and applied economic pressure. However, these efforts were unsuccessful as Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected as the next president. Lai's history of advocating for Taiwan independence and the DPP's refusal to accept China's preconditions for dialogue made him Beijing's least-favorite candidate. Despite winning with just 40.1% of the vote, Lai succeeded because the opposition vote was split between two challengers.It is difficult to determine the extent to which China's efforts influenced voter decisions, as each of the three parties had strong support bases independent of Beijing. Furthermore, Beijing's preference for a candidate does not necessarily make that candidate illegitimate. All of Taiwan's mainstream political parties seek to maintain the status quo and none support unification with China.
However, China's attempts to influence Taiwan's elections and political processes are real and ongoing. Beijing aims to delegitimize and isolate Taiwan while making its one-China principle a reality. Beijing has vowed to impose unification by force if necessary but prefers to play the long game.
China has conducted a lengthy campaign to isolate Taiwan and impede its participation in international organizations. Beijing has opposed Taiwan's involvement in these organizations and pressured governments to sever ties with Taiwan. Currently, only 13 governments recognize Taiwan.
China has succeeded in ostracizing Taiwan from the United Nations. Taiwan is unable to participate as an observer in any UN meetings or specialized agencies. Beijing has even denied private citizens with Taiwanese passports access to the UN headquarters or registration for conferences. These efforts are a direct assault on the rights of the Taiwanese people who wish to maintain their de-facto sovereignty under a democratic system separate from Beijing.
The US recognizes and rejects China's campaign against Taiwan. The US opposes any unilateral change to Taiwan's status and supports Taiwan's ability to defend itself from forced unification. Congress has passed legislation advocating for Taiwan's participation in international organizations and countering Beijing's efforts to undermine support for Taiwan.
Taiwanese democracy is worth defending, and it shows that the Chinese people are capable of having a free system of government when given the opportunity. This was evident in the recent election and will continue to be true in the future.