Diplomat to 'Post': Upcoming Taiwan election plays significant role for democracy in Asia

The Taiwanese electorate is preparing to cast ballots in the presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13.

The coming election is going to kick off a series of elections across more than 40 countries around the globe, with over 40% of the global population going to vote for their national leaders. 

Although Taiwan may be a small country with an electorate of around 19 million, the upcoming election is particularly significant and considered the most important one in Asia from the perspectives of geopolitical trajectory and the importance of democracy.

Taiwan is a young but vibrant democracy. The 2024 election is critical in its democratic consolidation. In the last seven rounds of direct presidential elections, Taiwan has undergone three peaceful turnovers of the governing parties.

The democratic background of Taiwan

In the backdrop of authoritarian expansionism, the international community has been closely watching how the Taiwanese people will vote under the shadow of hybrid warfare and interference from China through an increasing military threat by sending over 4,700 military aircraft across the median line of Taiwan Strait for 350 days; imposing economic coercion by canceling a tariff reduction on petrochemical products from Taiwan; and conducting a massive disinformation and deep fake tactics by generating fake news, accounts, videos and polling flooding over social media before the election with an attempt to influence critical swing voters in this tight race.

Yet, this is another opportunity to prove to the international society that democracy is a way of life upheld by the island country, and we won’t bow to pressure. 

Through the election, the Taiwanese people will and can decide their national leader wisely and freely and the policies they are going to pursue in the next four years. Taiwan stands on the forefront to defend democracy, and it is an established fact that Taiwan is a test ground for democracy versus autocracy. Therefore we are resolved to conduct a free election to applaud the democratic value.

Over the past eight years, the pledge and efforts of President Tsai Ing-wen and the government of Taiwan to maintain the peaceful status quo has been admired and praised by the global community. 

Taiwan is acclaimed as indispensable and irreplaceable to global stability and prosperity, given that more than 50% of international cargoes pass through the waterway of Taiwan Strait and the island country manufactures about 90% of advanced semiconductor chips. Peace and stability in Taiwan is the shared interest. 

The Taiwanese government also has done its utmost to diversify risks, expand globally, and join collective efforts to address the global issues such as combating climate change and implementing the 2050 goal of net zero emission. Taiwan grows more resilient and is able to stand firm on the global stage. 

Taiwan has achieved global recognition as a democratic success story, a reliable partner, and a force for good. To this end, the Taiwanese people and government did not shy away from standing in solidarity with Ukraine right after the war broke out and has been actively engaged with the humanitarian and reconstruction projects across the cities in Ukraine. 

In addition, the Taiwanese people and government are proud to be among the first to stand in solidarity with the State of Israel and condemn Hamas’s brutal violence in the October 7 terrorist assaults.

We are committed to weather the challenges with friends here and continue to partner with local NGOs to provide humanitarian and medical assistance to evacuees in need and join the rebuild of kibbutzim. '

We cherish the partnership with like-minded democracies and will continue to cultivate the friendship and cooperation with our friends and partners. This continuity and principle will remain unchanged for the next government.

Starting with the first direct presidential election in 1996, the democratic values have become deeply ingrained and rooted in the Taiwanese people’s blood. International institutions rank Taiwan a full democracy, with the best freedom and liberty in Asia.

The Taiwanese electorate holds the hard-earned democracy and freedom dear to its heart, and will cast the ballots freely and wisely, as it understands the upcoming election is crucial for this beacon of democracy to continue to shine.

The writer is the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv.