Friends and analysts say Lai’s tough upbringing in a working-class family has prepared him well for his next opponent: China
Luo Kuo-lin, a neighbour of Taiwan's incoming president Lai Ching-te, walks through the old mining tenement where they both group in in Wanli, Taiwan.Luo Kuo-lin, a neighbour of Taiwan's incoming president Lai Ching-te, walks through the old mining tenement where they both group in in Wanli, Taiwan.he house itself is a modest, two-storey dwelling on a larger parcel of picturesque land.
Yet the teenage Lai was politically curious, says Luo. In the late 70s, Taiwan was still under martial law, and students were taught to venerate the government andLuo says Lai instead read books that taught him to question the status of the Chiangs. He never talked about Taiwan becoming independent, says Luo, but “he thought it should be more open”.The families of Lai and Luo were among the few who stayed in Wanli after the mine closed and the land became public.
There are splits inside the ruling Democratic Progressive party on multiple domestic issues, and a significant divide exists over the issue of Taiwan independence.Lai is associated with the “deep green” faction, which favours full and recognised independence. In 2017, he described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence”, a quote that has followed him ever since, particularly throughout the recent campaign.
Lai will be fighting on multiple fronts. Beijing despises Lai more than Tsai and the Chinese Communist party will be watching his inauguration speech closely, but analysts say it doesn’t matter much what he says – if they want to react they will find a reason. He drew fame as Tainan mayor for boycotting meetings in protest against corruption, and for his fiery clashes with his long-time political rival, KMT politician Hsieh Long-jie.
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