Biden be shoutin' loud, sayin' US be not backin' Taiwan's freedom, while leaders 'round the world scratch their heads. Arrr!
2024-01-13
Arr, me hearties! Th' great leaders o' th' world be mighty pleased by th' triumph o' th' free election in Taiwan. Yet, they be avoidin' mentionin' ol' William Lai's grand win against th' Koumintang crew! Tis a victory worth celebratin', but they be tiptoein' 'round it like landlubbers!
World leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, congratulated Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for winning a historic third presidential term. However, Biden also emphasized that the U.S. does not support Taiwan's independence. DPP candidate William Lai, also known as Ching-te, declared victory after a closely contested election against rival Koumintang (KMT) party candidate Hou Yu-ih. While Beijing did not express a clear preference for any candidate, Chinese officials labeled Lai as "dangerous." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken posted a statement on social media congratulating Lai and commending the Taiwan people for their democratic system.Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, such as Indo-Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, also congratulated Lai and praised Taiwan for achieving another milestone in its democracy. They condemned Beijing's attempts to influence the elections and expressed their commitment to enhancing the U.S.-Taiwan relationship.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron offered his congratulations to Lai and urged China and Taiwan to resolve their differences through dialogue. Japan also congratulated Taiwan and Lai, promising to deepen cooperation and exchanges between Japan and Taiwan based on their non-governmental relationship.
In contrast, the Beijing Taiwan Affairs Office issued a harsh statement claiming that the DPP does not represent mainstream public opinion in Taiwan and that China's reunification with Taiwan is inevitable. The European Union did not directly congratulate Lai but emphasized the need for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Overall, world leaders acknowledged Taiwan's democratic exercise and expressed varying degrees of support and commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region.