Lai vows to defend Taiwan from China

A supporter of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) dances during a rally, following the victory of Lai Ching-te in the presidential elections, in Taipei, Taiwan Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo by ANN WNAGE / Reuters)

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s president-elect Lai Ching-te vowed to defend the self-ruled island from “threats” and “intimidation” by China, after voters defied warnings from Beijing and swept him to election victory.

Lai—branded by Beijing as a threat to peace in the region—had pitched himself as a defender of Taiwan’s democracy.

He thanked the people for a “new chapter” in the island’s democratic way of life.