Lai Ching-te

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday that China was attempting to force the self-ruled island into submission but that it would not bow to pressure.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will never renounce the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control.

Taiwan's freshly sworn-in president, Lai Ching-te, delivered a stern message to China, calling for an end to its military and political threats, as detailed in a report by Reuters. Lai used his inaugural speech as a platform to emphasize the imperative of peace, stressing that China must acknowledge and respect the democratic decisions made by the people of Taiwan.

New Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Monday hailed the arrival of a "glorious era" for the island's democracy, as he called on China to cease political and military intimidation.

In an inauguration speech, Lai also directly addressed the threat of war following years of growing pressure from China's to bring Taiwan under mainland rule.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday met U.S. delegates who arrived on the island on the heels of an election won by a pro-sovereignty candidate who Beijing said would bring war to the self-ruled island.

Taiwan's ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te, branded a threat to peace by China, on Saturday won the island's presidential election, a vote watched closely from Beijing to Washington.

Lai delivered an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after a raucous campaign in which he pitched himself as the defender of Taiwan's democratic way of life.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen took to the polls in New Taipei City, urging citizens to participate in the democratic process during the presidential election. As the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Tsai cast her ballot at the Xiulang Elementary School voting place, accompanied by vice-presidential candidate Hsiao Bi-khim and party officials.

Millions of Taiwanese voted Saturday for a new president in the face of threats from China that choosing the wrong leader could set the stage for war on the self-ruled island.

Taiwanese authorities arrested Lin Hsien-Yuan, an online journalist, who worked for a media outlet called Fingermedia, a few weeks ago over a poll showing pro-China parties on course to win the upcoming January 13 election.

China on Sunday vowed "resolute and forceful measures" over a weekend trip by Taiwan Vice President William Lai to the United States it said it was closely monitoring.