Despite Beijing’s attempts to influence the elections, Taiwan’s commitment to democracy has prevailed, and the people of Taiwan elected their new leader last week. William Lai, from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), emerged victorious in the recent presidential race.

This result is likely to sustain the status quo in cross-strait relations, characterized by continued tensions and limited dialogue. Beijing’s reaction to the elections has been relatively muted compared to the massive incursions following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022. However, Nauru’s announcement to sever ties with Taiwan and establish relations with Beijing came as a surprise to many. Taiwan is grappling with diminishing international recognition, struggling to keep pace with China’s dollar diplomacy. The question now is whether Taiwan can offset these losses by expanding unofficial relations with like-minded countries.

This month’s guest

Michael Mazza, Senior Director at the Project 2049 Institute and Senior Non-resident Fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute.