Possible U.S. Policy Changes and Implications After Taiwan's Presidential Election

Dongmin Lee

Professor at Dankook University

dmlee@dankook.ac.kr

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the U.S. response to the Taiwanese Presidential Election results and to highlight the strategic implications for South Korea. On January 13, Taiwan held elections for the 16th President of Taiwan. In a closely contested election between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Kuomintang (KMT), and the centrist Taiwan People's Progressive Party (TPP), Lai Ching-Te was elected. International attention has been focused on the outcome of the presidential election, as cross-strait military tensions and the Taiwan issue are among the top issues between the United States and China.

The international community is paying close attention to the outcome of the election, which reflects the will of the Taiwanese people because the stability and peace of the Taiwan Strait are crucial to maintaining the security order in East Asia. Cross-Strait relations are likely to be shaped by the evolution of U.S. policy toward Taiwan. Nevertheless, cross-strait relations are likely to develop in a more complex manner in the future, as China's Xi Jinping leadership is expected to intensify its internal and external assertiveness about its commitment to reunification with Taiwan, while Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen administration will emphasize the "status quo". The international community, including the United States and the West, is expected to support a peaceful "status quo" across the Taiwan Strait, but there have been subtle signs of change in recent years.​