Taiwan President-elect, Lai Ching-te, is about to be inaugurated, and on May 8th, Australian New South Wales state legislator Mark Latham praised Taiwan’s democratic politics in parliament, calling on Australia to support Taiwan’s democracy and independence. He stated, “A strong Taiwan is the best way to prevent China from doing foolish things.”
In his speech in the New South Wales State Parliament, Latham mentioned that Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te will be inaugurated on May 20th. He expressed admiration for Taiwan’s resilient and vibrant democracy and political system, congratulating the Taiwanese government. The election results in Taiwan also prove that democracy is not in conflict with Chinese culture and Confucianism.
Latham pointed out that Taiwan’s democratic elections in January this year concluded peacefully and successfully, resulting in a new president and the peaceful transfer of power. The election marked the first time in 20 years that Taiwan saw the return of a tripartite system in parliament, with the Kuomintang surpassing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the majority party, and the People’s Party emerging as a force to balance and challenge the parliament. Latham had visited Taiwan in December last year as part of a delegation from the New South Wales State Parliament, visiting the legislature and local councils. He expressed gratitude to the Taiwanese government for the trip and praised it as very inspiring.
He noted that Taiwan faced significant challenges during President Nixon’s tenure in 1972 on how to maintain its global importance. Now, Taiwan plays an indispensable role in the semiconductor supply chain, manufacturing 90% of the world’s advanced process chips, making it a vital player globally. Considering Taiwan’s international status, this is a very smart economic strategy.
Latham emphasized, “Most importantly, a strong, independent, and prosperous Taiwan is very much in Australia’s national interest and is the best way to prevent China from making foolish moves.” He called on Australia to support Taiwan’s democracy, independence, and its economic and strategic role.
Conversations among Australian federal or state-level legislators regarding Taiwan relations mainly focus on economic and cultural exchanges. Discussions on cross-strait relations or Taiwan’s politics are less common in parliament. Latham’s pro-Taiwan speech in the state parliament has thus drawn attention.