Taiwan swears in first woman President Tsai Ing-wen
Fri May 20, 2016 10:38:am World
2.1K By sosa hills
Taiwan has sworn-in Tsai Ing-wen as its first female President, who took the oath of office at the presidential palace in Taipei after winning a landslide victory in January.
Almost 700 dignitaries from 59 countries watched Tsai, leader of the Beijing-skeptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), receive the presidential seal at Taipei's Ching-kuo Hall. and also around 30,000 people gathered at Taipei's presidential palace for President Tsai's swearing-in and inauguration speech on Friday morning, in which she called for "positive dialogue" with China.
The 59-year-old former law professor who studied in The U.S takes over from outgoing Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party) President Ma Ying-jeou, who was ineligible for re-election after two four-year terms.
"At this moment, Taiwan's situation is very difficult," said Tsai in her inauguration speech. "I invite every fellow citizen to carry the future of this country."
"Taiwan has been a model citizen in global civil society," Tsai told the 20,000 capacity crowd, "Since our democratization, we have persisted in upholding the universal values of peace, freedom, democracy and human rights."
"The two governing parties across the strait must set aside the baggage of history, and engage in positive dialogue, for the benefit of the people on both sides," she said in the speech outside the presidential office in Taipei after being sworn in.
"Cross-strait relations have become an integral part of building regional peace and collective security ... in this process, Taiwan will be a 'staunch guardian of peace' that actively participates and is never absent."
At the ceremony, choirs performed "Ilha Formosa", a poetic tribute to Taiwan banned in 1979 when the KMT ruled under martial law because it had been adopted as an anthem by opposition groups.
Meanwhile, the United States' diplomatic representative on the island "congratulated President Tsai Ing-wen on her inauguration" in a statement.
"We look forward to working with the new administration, as well as with all of Taiwan's political parties and civil society groups, to further strengthen the ties between the people of the United States and Taiwan," it added.
Almost 700 dignitaries from 59 countries watched Tsai, leader of the Beijing-skeptic Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), receive the presidential seal at Taipei's Ching-kuo Hall. and also around 30,000 people gathered at Taipei's presidential palace for President Tsai's swearing-in and inauguration speech on Friday morning, in which she called for "positive dialogue" with China.
The 59-year-old former law professor who studied in The U.S takes over from outgoing Kuomintang (KMT, or Nationalist Party) President Ma Ying-jeou, who was ineligible for re-election after two four-year terms.
"At this moment, Taiwan's situation is very difficult," said Tsai in her inauguration speech. "I invite every fellow citizen to carry the future of this country."
"Taiwan has been a model citizen in global civil society," Tsai told the 20,000 capacity crowd, "Since our democratization, we have persisted in upholding the universal values of peace, freedom, democracy and human rights."
"The two governing parties across the strait must set aside the baggage of history, and engage in positive dialogue, for the benefit of the people on both sides," she said in the speech outside the presidential office in Taipei after being sworn in.
"Cross-strait relations have become an integral part of building regional peace and collective security ... in this process, Taiwan will be a 'staunch guardian of peace' that actively participates and is never absent."
At the ceremony, choirs performed "Ilha Formosa", a poetic tribute to Taiwan banned in 1979 when the KMT ruled under martial law because it had been adopted as an anthem by opposition groups.
Meanwhile, the United States' diplomatic representative on the island "congratulated President Tsai Ing-wen on her inauguration" in a statement.
"We look forward to working with the new administration, as well as with all of Taiwan's political parties and civil society groups, to further strengthen the ties between the people of the United States and Taiwan," it added.
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