Taiwan’s new president inherits a strong foreign policy position but political gridlock at home

By SIMINA MISTREANU and KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s new president takes office Monday. Lai Ching-te is expected to build on the legacy of incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen. That means aiming to strike a balance between cultivating Taiwan’s unofficial alliance with the United States and maintaining peace with China. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be retaken by force if necessary. On domestic reforms, Lai will be facing political gridlock after Lai and Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party lost its majority in the legislature. That will make it hard for the new president to push through legislation including the approval of crucial national defense budgets.