Liberals Celebrate Taiwan’s Vibrant Democracy

 Taiwan has a new president – and she is a woman and a liberal.

Tsai Ing-wen was sworn in as the 14^th President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on 20 May in an astonishing ceremony which showcased the inspiring history of the country’s democratic struggle.

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), together with representatives from Liberal International (LI), the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) for Freedom, attended the inauguration ceremony to celebrate this momentous occasion with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which Tsai leads. The inauguration included the official swearing-in of the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect, the march of outgoing and incoming president, and cultural performances by the honor guards, students, and artists.

In her inaugural speech, President Ing-wen Tsai shared five crucial points that the new government needs to work on to improve the welfare of the Taiwanese people, to foster peace and stability in the country and in the region, and to reinvigorate the country’s economy. She said that in the next four years, attention would be focused on: 1) transforming economic structures; 2) strengthening the social safety net; 3) addressing social fairness and justice; 4) maintaining regional peace and stability and the properly managing cross-strait relations; and 5) actively participating in diplomatic and global issues.

In her speech, President Tsai said Taiwan would be an “indispensable partner for the international community.” She highlighted that, “Democracy is a process. In every era, those who work in politics must recognize clearly the responsibilities they shoulder. Democracy can fall backward, but it can also move forward. The new government’s duty is to move Taiwan’s democracy forward to the next stage: before, democracy was about winning or losing the election. Now, democracy is about the welfare of the people. Before, democracy was a showdown between two opposing values. Now, democracy is a conversation between many diverse values.”

This historic event also provided an opportunity for liberals present in the inauguration to convene and discuss the liberal approach to “Taiwan’s Future Role in Promoting Democracy in Asia Pacific Region.” Held at the DPP Headquarters, the roundtable was attended by Lord David Steel, former LI President, Hon. Hans van Baalen, MEP, president of ALDE Party, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan, leader of the Seychelles National Party, Mr. Celito Arlegue, executive director of CALD, Mr. Paolo Zamora, senior program officer of CALD, Ms. Tegshjargal Erdenechimeg, member of the Political Committee of the Civil Will Green Party of Mongolia, Mr. Konstantin Kuhle, chairman of the German Liberal Youth (JuLis), and Mr. Armin Reinartz, regional project manager of the FNF Southeast and East Asia Office, Dr. Ketty Chen, deputy director of the DPP Department of International Affairs, Ms. Ya-wei Chou, executive officer of the DPP Department of International Affairs, and Mr. J. Michael Cole, senior fellow for the China Policy Institute of the University of Nottingham. The seminar tackled the role of Taiwan’s civil society in the political process, China’s pressure on Taiwan’s democratic institutions, and the challenges and opportunities in promoting regional efforts to further strengthen democracy and maintain peace.

CALD and the global liberal partners attended the momentous event not just to celebrate and show solidarity with the DPP, but also to express optimism and confidence that the DPP will deliver on its promises and that liberal principles will continue to guide its leaders in forging democratic reforms and improving the welfare of the people. In her final remarks, President Tsai emphasized a new beginning, “To build a “united democracy” that is not hijacked by ideology; to build an “efficient democracy” that responds to the problems of society and economy; to build a “pragmatic democracy” that takes care of the people – this is the significance of the new era.”