Taiwan's ability to hold competitive and democratic polls strengthens its global standing. Allies consider Taiwan not only as a geopolitical flashpoint but also a vibrant democracy which needs to be defended, a report has detailed.
TAIPEI — Taiwan's ability to hold competitive and democratic polls strengthens its global standing. Allies consider Taiwan not only as a geopolitical flashpoint but also a vibrant democracy which needs to be defended, a report has detailed.
Taiwan has two dominant political parties - the KMT, which calls for engagement with China, and the DPP, which supports sovereignty and independence, reflecting two different visions for the future of the island. Despite the two parties' differing opinions on Taiwan, elections work, and democracy survives, Khedroob Thondup, nephew of the 14th Dalai Lama, wrote in the European Times.
Every four years, people of Taiwan cast votes to decide not only who governs but how the island defends itself. Despite being contested fiercely, the elections are fair, free and trusted by the people. The peaceful transfer of power between the KMT and DPP in the past decades reflects that legitimacy flows from the ballot box and not ideology, the report mentioned.
China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and needs to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. However, elections in Taiwan tell a different story. Each vote demonstrates self-determination, rejects authoritarianism and declares that legitimacy comes from the people and not from external orders, Thondup emphasised.
"Taiwan’s democratic system is not only a domestic achievement — it is a strategic asset. The island’s ability to hold competitive elections strengthens its international standing. Allies see Taiwan not merely as a geopolitical flashpoint, but as a vibrant democracy worth defending. The spectacle of millions of citizens voting, debating, and protesting peacefully contrasts sharply with the authoritarianism across the strait," he wrote.
In June, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged China to stop its military expansion in the South and East China Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and any use of force against the island.
During a reception for foreign correspondents in Taipei on June 18, Lai Ching-te expressed Taiwan's willingness to engage in exchanges and cooperation based on equality and dignity, in pursuit of peaceful and mutually beneficial development. He noted that 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election, Taiwan-based Taipei Times reported.
Lai Ching-te said Taiwan held its first elections 30 years ago despite facing missile threats from China, sending a message to the international community that sovereignty rests with the people and that only 23 million people of Taiwan can decide its future. He stated that China and Taiwan are subordinate to each other and that Taiwan is not part of China, Taipei Times reported.
He also expressed gratitude to the G7 leaders, at their summit in France's Evian, for reiterating their opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion.
"With the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club today, I marked 30 years of direct presidential elections in Taiwan, highlighting our democracy and thriving economy. Echoing the G7 leaders' statement, I stressed our commitment to upholding the status quo; I urge China to choose peace over the use of force," Lai Ching-te wrote on X.
In the statement on geopolitical issues, the G7 leaders reaffirmed opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, especially by force or coercion, in the East and South China Seas and across the Taiwan Strait.