Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

The lawmaking bodies of Taiwan, China and the US can be divided into just two types; yet each looks and feels completely different. At China’s National People’s Congress, politicians seated in rows, and with the look of death in their eyes, applaud mechanically on cue. They cannot reject any bill put to the house by the politburo and they certainly cannot boycott any of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) stern lectures.

Before and after her inauguration on May 20, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has repeatedly stated that her new government would continue to promote the stable and peaceful development of cross-strait relations based on existing realities and political foundations.

The careful way Tsai had balanced the conflicting demands of Beijing and her domestic political constituency appeared to meet US expectations, as the US Department of State congratulated Tsai and said in a statement that her inauguration “marks another milestone in the development of Taiwan’s vibrant democracy.”