to china, as they put it. equally, the us has never ruled out military action. we now enter a period of extended uncertainty while everyone watches to see how beijing will respond to the victory william lai victory of william lai but as president biden enters a presidential election year with two crises still raging, conflicts going on in the middle east and ukraine, the last thing he will want its further aggravation with china over the continuing flashpoint of taiwan. could you explain why this result isn tjust could you explain why this result isn t just about taiwan, why it matters so much to the united states? it matters so much to the united states? . , , u, , ., matters so much to the united states? . , , , ., ., states? it matters because china and the us are key states? it matters because china and the us are key rivals, states? it matters because china and the us are key rivals, but states? it matters because china and the us are key rivals, but at - states? it matte
become increasingly interdependent. we ve seen that rivalry grow, we ve seenin we ve seen that rivalry grow, we ve seen in some ways the relationship to deteriorate. what the administration has tried to do is carry out a process of engagement. we saw last year president biden hold a meeting on the margins of the apec summit in california at which he met president xijinping. after that, there was a sense that they had discussed many of the issues they disagreed on but the americans were continuing to talk about the importance of diplomacy and engagement but in the context of the presidential election, especially with some republicans urging a harder line on the us administration towards china, the approach to something like taiwan which is a long standing flashpoint between these two rivals will matter. there
china warned the people of taiwan not to vote for this man. they said he is a troublemaker who will take the island closer to war. well, tonight they have given their answer by electing him their new president. speaking to the international media following his victory, president elect lai was quick to offer beijing an olive branch. translation: over the last eight years we have tried - continuously to extend goodwill. unfortunately, china has not responded to these gestures. we hope in the future china will realise peace serves the interests of both sides. it s not just it s notjust the democratic it s not just the democratic system that sets the country apart. it became the first country in asia to legalise same sex marriage. this
china is refusing to acknowledge the results of taiwan s presidential election. we ve had two statements, one from the ministry of foreign affairs and the other from beijing s taiwan affairs office. it says that the democratic progressive party cannot represent the mainstream public opinion on the island of taiwan and it ends with the strong words, they cannot stop the unstoppable trend of the eventual reunification of the motherland. for the last ten years, president xi jinping has sold china this vision of a strong, unified china with taiwan and he has not ruled out the use of force if necessary. his tactics have become ever more aggressive, sending warships and militaryjets around the taiwan strait repeatedly. but many people are now asking, what does he do now? because a third term for the dpp would suggest that president xi
which has labelled him a troublemaker and a dangerous separatist . in his victory speech, he pledged to use dialogue instead of confrontation in exchanges with china and said he hoped beijing understood that peace will benefit both sides. china says reunification with taiwan is still inevitable despite the vote, and it opposes separatist activities. rupert wingfield hayes reports from taipei. onto stage comes the man who will now be taiwan s next president. in the end, william lai won the election by a larger margin than expected. china s campaign to intimidate voters here not to choose him failed. his supporters say, if anything, it had the opposite effect.