Lai’s Promise Meets Political Deadlock
Lai Ching-te took office as Taiwan’s president in January 2024. He pledged to protect Taiwan’s democracy and resist Chinese pressure. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has always viewed Lai with suspicion. Lai has made it clear that he supports Taiwan’s independence and is not afraid to challenge Beijing’s threats.
However, Lai’s first year in office has not gone smoothly. His party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), lost its majority in Taiwan’s parliament despite his election victory. This has made it very hard for him to carry out his plans.
The opposition parties have banded together to thwart Ching-te’s plans, primarily the Taiwan People’s Party and the Kuomintang (KMT). They even cut the general budget of the government. Lawmakers have engaged in physical altercations inside the parliament. Both supporters and opponents of Lai’s regime have demonstrated in large numbers outside.
Lai has been referred to as a “dictator” by the KMT, which also holds him accountable for bringing Taiwan closer to conflict with China. On the other hand, the DPP says the KMT is helping China by creating divisions within Taiwan. The political scene has become very heated and bitter, with each side accusing the other of harming Taiwan’s future.
A Divided Government and Falling Approval
Taiwan has always had lively and competitive politics. But experts say things are now worse than usual. Bonnie Glaser, a Taiwan-China affairs expert, described the political atmosphere as “poisonous.” She said the political parties are more focused on attacking each other than solving the country’s real problems, like low wages and power shortages.
President Lai’s popularity has dropped over the past year. A recent survey by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation showed his approval rating fell to 45.9%, down from 58% when he took office. At the same time, his disapproval rating rose to 45.7%, the highest since he became president.
One major reason for this drop is how the Lai government handled the issue of U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese products. Another reason is the DPP’s aggressive attempt to recall opposition lawmakers. The party is trying to remove about 30 KMT lawmakers using a legal process that allows elected officials to be kicked out before their term ends. Although it’s hard to succeed in such recalls, the DPP only needs to win back six seats to regain control of parliament.
In response, the KMT launched its own campaign to recall 15 DPP lawmakers. However, this effort was hit by scandal when some KMT staff were accused of using the names of dead people to collect fake signatures. On top of that, the KMT has threatened to recall President Lai himself.
All sides are harming their own reputations, according to Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He explained that the current situation makes Taiwan’s political system look weak and divided, which could benefit China.
Chinese Pressure Continues Amid Domestic Troubles
Even while Taiwan’s government is caught up in political fighting, China has kept up the pressure. China has been sending warships and fighter jets close to Taiwan nearly daily since Lai assumed office. Large-scale military drills have also been conducted all around the island. Taiwan says China is using more than just military threats—it is also carrying out cyberattacks, spreading false information, and spying to weaken Taiwan’s defenses.
In March, President Ching-te called China a “foreign hostile force,” which made Beijing very angry. The KMT also criticized Lai for making such strong statements, calling him a “troublemaker.”
Experts say that when Taiwan looks divided and unstable, it helps China’s story that Taiwan would be better off under Chinese control. People in Taiwan may start to lose trust in their government if they see leaders constantly fighting instead of working together.
Despite the chaos, President Ching-te has had some achievements. Lai has contributed to increasing awareness of the Chinese danger, according to David Sacks, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Additionally, Lai has pledged to raise Taiwan’s defense expenditure to over 3% of its overall GDP.
It hasn’t been simple to manage Taiwan’s foreign affairs, though. Many people are unsure about how the United States will handle China and Taiwan now that Donald Trump is back in the White House.
Political science professor Chen Fang-yu from Soochow University said that China might be happy to sit back and watch Taiwan’s internal problems. He pointed out that the opposition parties are gaining more support in local elections and that some people may be growing tired of the DPP, which has been in power for three terms in a row.
For now, Taiwan remains stuck in a political tug-of-war. President Lai marks his first full year in office under heavy political pressure, facing both challenges from within and threats from outside.