Tsai Ing-wen is a notable figure who propelled Taiwan to the spotlight and fearlessly tackled China's aggression.
Rather than delving into the remnants of history, the introverted speaker somehow navigated a fresh route for Taiwan amidst the rockiest waters of global geopolitics.
"At the present moment, Taiwan is undergoing a challenging situation," Tsai spoke during her installation ceremony as their first female president in 2016. She inherited a slumping economy, a faltering military, and the unrest from her predecessor's attempts to foster closer relations with neighboring China, a power-hungry authoritarian nation determined to one day absorb the self-ruled democracy.
After eight years, as the 67-year-old prepares to retire from office, Taiwan finds itself with a higher global standing, stronger ties with the United States, further defence reforms, and a solidified sense of its individual Taiwanese character.
It also faces the ongoing threat of an invasion by China, which has escalated its aggression and belligerence under authoritarian chief Xi Jinping. Xi has increased pressure on Taiwan and vowed to never relinquish the use of force to bring it under control.
Supporters acclaim Tsai for standing up against China, safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty, liberty, and democracy, while critics accuse her of deteriorating ties with Beijing, fueling cross-strait animosities.
With Taiwan's past of brutal authoritarian dominion and suppression of minorities, the island under Tsai's leadership has advocated for LGBTQ rights and assumed the role of a beacon of democracy and liberal values in Asia, in stark contrast to Xi's authoritarian, conservative, and patriarchal plans for China.
After experiencing increased public frustration due to livelihood issues, persistently low incomes, and crippling housing costs, polls show Tsai parts ways with office sporting a positive net approval rating - a unique feat in Taiwan's democratic age.
To be sworn in as Taiwan's new president on Monday will be her former prime minister and vice president, Lai Ching-te. Just before the election, Tsai offered a summary of the metamorphosis Taiwan has experienced under her rule in her last New Year's address as president. "What's changed is that Taiwan is no longer overlooked," she declared. "If someone were to inquire about my legacy for Taiwan, I'd say I'm leaving behind a Taiwan that exists on the global stage."
An unconventional politician
Tsai is an atypical politician in Taiwan. Easily veering towards introversion, she was a discreet figure in the dynamic democracy characterized by boisterous rallies and impassioned political speeches. She remained unmarried and childless, and often shared images of her pets on social media, resonating with many young people.
When you ask me, I'm a cold person," Tsai explained in a documentary titled "Invisible Nation" about her presidency. "But the day I was elected president, that was the most emotional event of my life."
Moved by shyness, she would gently lower her head and avert eye contact while walking down the street, as Wellington Koo, her security advisor, recounted in "Taiwan in Transition." In another documentary, "Invisible Nation," Tsai admitted she had never dreamt of becoming a president and lamented talking to people as a youngster.
"I wanted a tranquil existence. I thought I'd become a historian or an archeologist to study things from the past, (since) dead folks wouldn't jump up and contradict you," she reminisced.
She pursued a legal career instead and became a professor, later working as a trade envoy for Taiwan and a government official overseeing China policy. Her many years of experience as a nonpartisan technocrat instilled in her a "refined, quiet, and peaceful" leadership style, according to the director of "Invisible Nation," Vanessa Hope.
Entering politics at age 48, Tsai joined the ruling DPP in 2004. Four years later, the political newcomer faced scant competition to secure the DPP's chairmanship as the party struggled following a dismal presidential election loss. Debuting in politics at 48, she contested for president in 2012 but lost to Ma Ying-jeou leading the Kuomintang (KMT).
She finally netted success with her second attempt, not just marking the moment as Taiwan's first female president, but also among the first women in Asia to ascend to supreme office without stemming from a political dynasty.
"Many people think I'm a very cold person," said Tsai in "Invisible Nation." "But the day I was elected president, that was the most emotional moment in my life."
'Elevate Taiwan's profile'
Ever since Tsai took office, Taiwan has been entangled in an escalating power struggle between China and the United States, a global pandemic, and the geopolitical and economic ramifications wrought by ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Regardless of these challenges, the island has managed to refine its international presence and recognition, strengthening its role as a vital democratic partnership and an irreplaceable component of the global microchip supply chain.
In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asia-Pacific region to sanction same-sex marriage. During the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, it garnered worldwide acclaim for its commendable response and warmed assistance to other countries, regardless of its exclusion from the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan has also enjoyed a tsunami of global backing from like-minded allies such as the United States, Japan, and the Czech Republic.
"She's expected to be remembered as the one who brought Taiwan to the international spotlight," stated Wen-ti Sung, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub based in Taipei.
In the era of China's rapid ascension as the world's second-largest economy and a dominant power, Taiwan often found itself in the shadows. Now, though, the island's strategic importance, forcing it to become a focal point in geopolitical considerations, due to its position as the world's biggest semiconductor producer, has pushed it into the limelight. Ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait has now become an issue of global significance.
Throughout this period of shifting diplomatic and political positions, Tsai focused on tightening ties with the US during the Trump and Biden administrations. The relationship was further solidified through various economic collaborations, a series of high-level political visits, and increased sales of American arms. This support for Taiwan transcended political spectrums, establishing a consensus for US foreign policy leading up to the national elections.
"We have witnessed a shift in how Western countries view Taiwan, bolstering its sovereignty," explained Amanda Hsiao, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. "US-China competition and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have both contributed to this. However, Tsai expertly capitalized on these geopolitical trends."
Despite the affirmation of ties with its principal security ally, Taiwan lost 10 diplomatic allies to China while Tsai was in power. The island was also banned from attending the World Health Assembly as an observer since 2016, after Tsai's inauguration.
Challenging Beijing's Influence
China's strategies to influence Taiwan include poaching its few remaining diplomatic supporters and preventing Taiwan from participating in international forums. This is part of Beijing's method of applying pressure on Tsai to conform to their political demands. However, unlike the KMT, both Tsai and the DPP have refused to acquiesce to the "1992 consensus," which entails China's assertion that both Taiwan and the mainland belong to "one China but with different interpretations.
Beijing, who insists on this agreement as a prerequisite for communication, has ceased official contact with Taiwan since Tsai assumed office. Beijing has also imposed economic and military pressure, introducing tariffs on Taiwanese commodities and regularly sending planes near the island's airspace.
Contrary to this, tensions culminated in August 2022 when China fired missiles close to Taiwanese waters and staged a mock invasion, aiming to showcase its disapproval of then US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taipei.
To counter this, Tsai opted for a strategic and steady approach, rejecting declarations of Taiwanese independence. Instead, she stated that the Republic of China already constitutes an independent country, dismissing the need for a proclamation.
As a result, Tsai is credited with bringing the DPP's stance on cross-Strait relations to the center of Taiwanese politics, moderating the highly pro-independence orientation traditionally held by the party.
Although polls display an increasing number of Taiwanese people, particularly youth, who view themselves as uniquely Taiwanese and have no intention of joining China, relatively few – less than 10% – favor immediate or ultimate reunion. Only 3% identify as primarily Chinese, while 67% identify as primarily Taiwanese.
Huang Kwei-bo, a professor of diplomacy at Taiwan's National Chengchi University, does not agree with Tsai's emphasis on the US at the expense of China. "Taiwan should indeed cooperate with the US...but it would be myopic for Taiwan to forego diplomatic engagements with Beijing," he said, pointing out the inadequacy of relying solely on deterrence or military action to protect itself.
"Fostering political ties with Beijing is essential to ensure Taiwan's long-term security," Huang added.
Transformation in Defense
Shortly after Tsai's election, she attended a Military Academy graduation ceremony and addressed her troops. "Our armed forces require substantial modifications...We also need to enhance our national defense systems and culture."
Throughout her tenure, Tsai has boosted military spending, lengthened mandatory military service from four months to a year, and accelerated the development of her country's indigenous weapons. Not only has she participated in military events, but she's also made a point of appearing in protective gear among military personnel, undermining the stigma that women are unable to steer the military.
Under Tsai's administration, Taiwan has engaged with Washington to create a "contingency stockpile" of munitions on its soil. As the US is required by law to provide weapons for Taiwan's defense and has traditionally sold aircraft and missiles, Taiwan has been working to develop an asymmetric defense strategy that encompasses leaner, additional resources and technologies that could hinder a potential Chinese conquest.
Taiwanese military experts have increasingly advocated for these tactics given the understanding that Taiwan will likely never match China's military capacity and resources. Defense expenditures, though increased, still represent a minute fraction of China's military spending.
Taiwan can still make it expensive and challenging for China to attack it without having to match its more powerful neighbor's resources. The war in Ukraine demonstrated that portable missiles and drones are effective tools in defending against a stronger foe, as experts have noticed.
Hsiao pointed out that Taiwan became more aware of the potential for war due to the changing global landscape. With Tsai leading the way, Taiwan shifted its focus to defense and recognized the need for a joint effort from everyone.
Domestic hurdles
Tsai faced several challenges at home as well.
Support for same-sex marriage was a contentious issue, particularly in rural areas, but made Taiwan a beacon of hope for the LGBTQ community across Asia. As she was preparing to leave office, Tsai hosted the first-ever drag show at the presidential office, featuring Taiwanese drag queen Nymphia Wind, a winner of the popular TV series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Tsai aimed to stimulate economic growth and tackle societal discrepancies, promoting rising sectors like renewable energy and initiating pension reforms. However, the average economic growth rate under her leadership was above 3%, but many people claimed that these benefits weren't evident in their everyday lives. Instead, Tsai's administration faced growing dissatisfaction due to stagnant wages, soaring housing costs, and living expenses.
Criticisms of her administration included slow judicial reforms, inability to tackle online fraud, and plans to phase out nuclear power. Additionally, she was seen as falling short in implementing transitional justice and advancing indigenous rights.
"Under her leadership, there has been a squeezed focus on more regional concerns," Sung explained. "This can also be seen through the election results."
Tsai's DPP party experienced significant electoral defeats in two mid-term elections, where local issues often supersede national security as voters' principal concern. By the end of her first term, Tsai's popularity had plummeted, and reelection seemed unlikely, until protests broke out in Hong Kong against China's growing influence. She focused on her stance against transforming Taiwan into another Hong Kong and received a decisive victory in 2019's elections.
During the 2022 presidential elections, complaints about livelihood issues dominated the criticism targeted at the DPP, prompting votes to shift towards a third candidate who proposed a more practical and scientific approach to dealing with them.
The DPP also lost its majority in the parliament, leaving the incoming Lai administration with potential political hurdles in implementing policy and legislation.
As Tsai passes the torch to Lai, analysts suggest that it may be too soon to determine her full legacy.
"Whether we eventually commend or criticize her tenure will, in part, rely on what the next administration achieves with her accomplishments," Hsiao concluded.
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In the context of Taiwan's global position, it can be said that Taiwan, under Tsai's leadership, has strengthened its ties with Asia and the world, notably with the United States, and has become a prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights and democracy in Asia.
Moreover, despite the ongoing threat of an invasion by China, Taiwan's standing in the world has significantly improved, with Taiwan becoming the first Asia-Pacific region to sanction same-sex marriage in 2019 and gaining worldwide acclaim for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: edition.cnn.com
