Taiwan takes ‘pragmatic’ approach to keep formal allies amid China pressure
Al Jazeera
Taipei chooses pragmatism over ideology in relations with its diplomatic allies, but it might not be enough to keep Beijing at bay.
Taipei, Taiwan – Hundreds of foreign delegates were in Taipei last month to watch William Lai Ching-te sworn in as Taiwan’s fifth elected president.
Beijing, which claims the democratic island as its own, has branded Lai a “separatist” and “troublemaker” but that did not stop as many as 508 foreign delegates from attending the ceremony where they had front-row seats to the colourful parade and flypast.
But while there were some from countries like Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, only a few were actual heads of state or high-ranking officials.
They came from Taiwan’s 12 remaining formal diplomatic allies and included the king of Eswatini, the prime minister of Tuvalu and the president of Paraguay. The flags of their countries were on display all around the site of the inauguration alongside Taiwan’s flag, and there was a special round of applause for each leader during the ceremony.
The day before the inauguration, soon-to-be President Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim had also taken the foreign leaders fishing for prawns.
