A few weeks before the inauguration, the president-elect of Taiwan appoints his foreign and defense ministers

Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, is preparing to assume office next month and has already announced the new members of his cabinet and security team. These officials will be crucial in managing China’s growing military threats.

On Thursday, Lai Ching-te reported that the island is “facing unprecedented challenges” due to persistent pressure from China to annex Taiwan, requiring a team capable of confronting the “rise of authoritarianism.”

“The national security team must not shirk our responsibility, must take the country’s future as our own mission, and must shoulder the duty to defend our country,” he said.

Considering this approach, the president-elect announced that Wellington Koo, the prominent lawyer and current secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), would be the new Minister of Defense.

Likewise, he indicated that the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, will become the head of the NSC while the former mayor of Taichung and current secretary general of the presidential office, Lin Chia-lung, will become the minister of Foreign Affairs.

Furthermore, Lai Ching-te revealed other key government appointments: Chiu Chui-cheng will take over as head of the Continental Affairs Council (MAC), Cheng Wen-tsan will serve as president of the Straits Exchange Foundation, Yen Teh-fa will take over as head of the Veterans Affairs Council, and Pan Men-an will be the new general secretary of the president.

“Our main goal is to complicate cross-Strait calculations and constantly postpone China’s timetable for possible reckless military actions in order to maintain stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

Lai Ching-te, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), will take office on May 20 after winning the January elections with around 40% of the vote. Although the legislative majority remains in the hands of the opposition Nationalist Party, which supports eventual unification with China, Lai Ching-te has made it clear that he will promote and defend Taiwanese identity.

“We are determined to safeguard Taiwan from continuing threats and intimidation from China,” he said after winning the election.