TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s president-elect, has vowed to safeguard the island’s de-facto independence from China and further align it with other democracies.
Lai, 64, emerged victorious in the election Saturday on the island of 23 million people that China claims as its own.
He is currently vice president with the Democratic Progressive Party, which has rejected China’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan.
Lai has vowed to strengthen the island’s defense and economy, which depends heavily on trade with China.
As vice president, Lai helped promote Taiwan’s interests internationally.
Persons:
— Lai Ching, Lai, ”, Lai Ching, Sung, Joe Biden, Camp David, Antony Blinken, Mike Johnson, ” Lai, Tsai Ing, Bi, Hsiao, Shinzo Abe, ___ Adam Schreck, Seung Min Kim
Organizations:
Democratic Progressive Party, Atlantic Council, America, White, Camp, Street, Harvard, U.S .
Locations:
TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Taiwan Strait, Beijing, New York, San Francisco, Paraguay, U.S, People’s Republic of China, Maryland, Taipei, Ukraine, Tainan, United States, Japan, Bangkok, Washington