IN-DEPTH: Anticipating China’s Strategy and U.S. Response In the Aftermath of Taiwan’s Elections

‘There should be a mass, coordinated acknowledgment of reality—that Taiwan is a country,’ says the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Cleo Paskal.

Taiwan's Vice President and president-elect from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Lai Ching-te (C) speaks to supporters at a rally at the party's headquarters on January 13, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan voted in a general election on Jan. 13 that will have direct implications for cross-strait relations. (Photo by Annabelle Chih/Getty Image

While Taiwan’s presidential election has reinforced the self-ruled island’s democratic politics, it has also raised anticipation of a strong response from China. In the dynamic geopolitical context of the Indo-Pacific, experts say the United States will hold a greater strategic relevance. Its active leadership in the region will be vital to deterring China post-election.

President-elect Lai Ching-te now awaits his May inauguration. The next three months is a crucial period, Cleo Paskal, a non-resident senior fellow with the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told The Epoch Times.