Lai Ching-te inaugurated as Taiwan’s president which will likely bolster US ties

New Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, centre, vice president Hsiao Bi-khim, right, and former president Tsai Ing-wen (Chiang Ying-ying/AP)

Relative moderate Lai Ching-te has been inaugurated as Taiwan’s new president and will continue the self-governing island’s democracy policy of de facto independence while seeking to bolster its defences against China.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has been upping its threats to annex it by force if necessary.