I just don’t know
In his first column published in 2025, C Donovan Smith takes a look at William Lai’s polling numbers, which are perhaps surprisingly high. Smith digs in to find out why and what this phenomonon might mean moving forward.
Guy
So how is the William Lai presidency going? Mark Harrison—always an interesting person to read—has written a useful overview of developments so far, delving into the question of securitization as a dominant theme in early 2025.
Guy
Traitors in DPP spied on Lai.
[!quote] taipeitimes.com
The staffer, assistant Huang Chu-jing (黃取榮), is one of four people along with Presidential Office consultant Wu Shang-yu (吳尚雨), former DPP worker Chiu Shih-yuan (邱世元) and formal ministerial assistant Ho Jen-chieh (何仁傑) suspected of spying for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during their time working for the government.
President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) bank deposits increased by about NT$9.09 million (US$310,769) in one year, according to the latest assets declaration report released by the Control Yuan on Tuesday.
His salary as president is $180,000
Seem poor
I thot he was loaded
His trip overseas cancelled by USA
Lai drops overseas trip after Trump blocks New York stopover | Taiwan News | Jul. 29, 2025 11:01
Is that per month? Seems too low even a months pay?
He doesn’t own much compared to a lot of politicians.
It’s October 10, the ROC’s national day, and President Lai took this opportunity to look back and take stock:
Source: @wordsfromtaiwan.bsky.social on Bluesky
Guy
William Lai taking heat from representatives of Amnesty International in Taiwan regarding his recent comments about Israel:
Guy
In-depth analysis of Xi Jinping vs. Lai Ching-te’s New Year speeches! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq3sJEJhjUc
0:00 shorts
0:18 Xi Jinping’s New Year’s Day speech! 2025: A historical milestone for China!
2:18 Cross-Strait Main Theme: The Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation!
5:52 Bluebird laughs at mainland communism! Gets slapped in the face!
8:24 New Worldview: China’s Global Governance Initiative!
10:58 Lai Ching-te boasts! Bluebird believes in Lai Ching-te and gains eternal life!
16:47 Lai Ching-te: I am not greedy or corrupt! Avoiding the PLA’s encirclement of Taiwan!
And just like magic he’s there!
The visit had originally been scheduled for April 22, which would have marked Lai’s second overseas trip since taking office in May 2024.
However, on the eve of his departure, the Presidential Office suspended the trip after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar revoked overflight permissions, a move Taipei has attributed to Chinese pressure.
With this visit, I wonder what is Taiwan’s Africa strategy in 2026? The PRC’s strategy is by contrast crystal clear.
Brian Hioe remarks: " I hope [Lai] enjoys his meeting with an absolute monarch."
Source: @brianhioe.bsky.social on Bluesky
Guy
I don’t think Hioe is suggesting that Eswatini is the ONLY problematic poltical state in the world.
I think the question is: why is Taiwan investing its political capital in this way? What’s the larger strategy in Africa?
If you can discern it, @hansioux , let us know. I’m squinting hard and I’m having trouble seeing it.
Guy
I didn’t know we are supposed to shun states with absolute monarchy. I thought we are just supposed to shun states with horrific human rights records. It just so happens most absolute monarchic states have horrific human rights issues.
There are all sorts of horrible countries in the world. Eswatini probably doesn’t even make the top 50. Every other country’s leaders are allowed to meet with dictators. The people upset with Lai going to Eswatini turn a blind eye to that.
I am not calling for a prohibition on visits; I am asking what is Taiwan’s larger Africa strategy? Maybe it exists and I just can’t see it. I’m waiting for a single forumosan to clarify this point . . . still waiting . . .
Guy
Originally it was to get support to stay at the UN (Eswatini is a relic of this, going back to 1968). Now it’s to hold on to dwindling allies. However, it looks like Taiwan’s efforts in Africa might pay off, if Somaliland’s independence is widely recognized there might be another official ally.
Last Thursday, William Lai met with the international press corps based in Taiwan at the Taipei Guest House—an event that apparently last occurred when Ma was president.
In the time that I’ve lived in Taiwan, the coverage of Taiwan by these journalists has changed enormously. In the early 2000s, correspondents would sit in Beijing (I am not making this up) and write stories about developments in Taiwan. The results were pretty much what you’d imagine.
Since then, and especially during the Xi regime, the PRC has been kicking out international journalists willy nilly, or making it next to impossible for them to do their jobs. A bunch of these journalists ended up in Taiwan, and it’s no coincidence that international press coverage has changed: more nuanced, more granular, overall more sympathetic to our points of view. So thanks, Beijing!
Showing an unexpected degree of deftness, William Lai has used these circumstances to welcome and engage these reporters. David Frazier in the report below explains how.
Guy