The inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, is more about handing over the baton than any dramatic change in policy for the island which is overshadowed by its large and powerful neighbour, China.
It’s expected Lai Ching-te (also called by his English name, William Lai) will stay the course set by his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen.
But his first speech as the new president was closely watched in Asia for any clues about how Taiwan will handle its difficult relationship with China.
In a careful and considered address, Mr Lai urged China to “stop threatening Taiwan” and called for “peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait.
China’s position is unequivocal – that Taiwan is part of China and “re-unification” with the mainland is inevitable.
Many on the island want to maintain its sovereignty and democracy. But the pressure is building and Taiwan knows it.
“So long as China refuses to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, all of us in Taiwan ought to understand, that even if we accept the entirety of China’s position and give up our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear,” Mr Lai said.
Image: Mr Lai and his wife Wu Mei-ju wave to the crowds. Pic: Reuters
‘Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’
In Beijing today, the response was firm. Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua said: “The mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
“Taiwan independence is incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Strait.
“Our will to resolve the Taiwan question and complete national reunification is rock-solid, our ability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is impregnable, and our actions against ‘Taiwan independence’ and foreign interference are resolute and strong.
“We will never tolerate or condone any form of secessionist acts of ‘Taiwan independence’.”
Image: Pic: Reuters
Speech designed not to appease nor antagonise
The inauguration celebration was big on colour and big on mentioning “democracy” – Mr Lai dropped it in more than 30 times.
This was his first chance as president to promote Taiwan’s democratic and sovereign status.
Still, it was clear this was a speech designed to neither appease nor antagonise the Chinese Communist Party.
And that is exactly the difficult balancing act the Taiwanese government is faced with.
Over the last few years, Taiwan has welcomed hundreds of journalists, politicians and diplomats to the island.
Image: Dancers perform during a colourful inauguration ceremony in Taipei. Pic: AP
Image: Pic: AP
Image: Pic: AP
Unofficial US delegation attends ceremony
The US does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but does acknowledge a “robust unofficial relationship”.
It knows well that any high-profile visits to the island would be fiercely condemned by China.
Only an unofficial US delegation was present at the ceremony today.
These days China has a two-pronged strategy towards Taiwan. The tough approach and the softer approach – something akin to trying to win over a few hearts and minds on the way.
The tough one sees Chinese naval vessels and fighter jets operating ever closer to Taiwan, including its mountainous eastern side.
Image: Mr Lai’s address to the crowds was careful and considered. Pic: Reuters
China peeling away states that recognise Taiwan
Diplomatically, China has been gradually peeling away the handful of tiny island countries and micro-states in the Pacific and Caribbean who recognise Taiwan, enticing them with trade and investment to switch sides.
But on the other side, China is encouraging Taiwanese investment, making it easier for them to buy property, study and work on the mainland.
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Mr Lai will aim to maintain the status quo when it comes to China.
In the past, China has called him a “separatist” and “dangerous”.
He’s since modified his position urging “sovereignty” and saying nothing about independence.
On technology, Mr Lai emphasised the country’s unique status as the world’s largest manufacturer of semi-conductors and foreshadowed the island’s future in artificial intelligence.
Mr Lai said Taiwan is as “important to the world as it is to the Taiwanese people”.
His message was clear – in the great power rivalry between the West and China, Taiwan matters.
In a stark and direct intervention, Martin Griffiths, the former UN humanitarian chief, has described the situation in Gaza as genocide.
The statement, made during an interview I conducted with Griffiths on The World, marks one of the most pointed accusations yet from a figure known to be deeply embedded in the world of international politics and diplomacy.
“I think now we’ve got to the point this is unequivocal. Of course it is genocide. Just as it is weaponising aid.
“We don’t need to look behind ourselves to see that’s the case. That should encourage us even more because we, of course, all doubted whether it would come to that level of definition.
“We all doubted whether famine is actually there. I think starvation is killing people. That’s bad enough. We don’t have to worry about famine, which is obviously there lurking in the shadows.
“Also, genocide… of course that’s what has happened. We only need to look at the statements made. Prime Minister Netanyahuhas the virtue of being very clear about his objectives.”
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3:14
Ex-Israeli aide dismisses genocide claims
His choice of words is extraordinary – not just for its gravity, but because it’s Griffiths who is saying it.
A veteran diplomat with decades of experience navigating complex international crises, Griffiths is known for his calm and thoughtful demeanour – not for inflammatory language.
For him to use the term “genocide” in a television interview signals a significant shift in how some within the international system are now interpreting events on the ground in Gaza – 20 months since Israel launched its war.
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Just weeks earlier, Tom Fletcher, another respected former British ambassador and current UN humanitarian chief, came close to using the phrase during a UN Security Council session.
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He said: “What more evidence do you need now? Will you act decisively to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead: ‘we did all we could?'”
Whilst he stopped short, his tone showed a clear change in how leading international figures now view the direction of Israeli military operations in Gaza; staggering civilian deaths, and the statements made by Israeli officials prosecuting this war.
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Lawyers representing Israel against accusations brought by South Africa to the International Court of Justice last year – accusing its actions in Gaza of amounting to genocide – called the claims “unfounded”, “absurd” and amounting to “libel”.
They went on to say Israel respected international law and had a right to defend itself.
Now 41.2% of Europe finds itself in some form of drought, according to the latest update from the EU’s European Drought Observatory, which covers 11 to 20 May.
It is most acute in pockets of south-eastern Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Albania, where the strongest “alert” category has been issued, as well as parts of Poland and Ukraine.
But broad stretches of northern and eastern Europe through France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine also drying up, sowing concerns about crop yields.
On Thursday, the UK’s Environment Agency officially declared a drought in North West England after river and reservoir levels were licked away by a dry spring.
Image: More than 40% of Europe was in drought as of 11-20 May 2025. Pic: CEMS / EDO
Image: Heat was record high in March in Europe. The image on the right shows the south of the continent was much wetter than average and the north much drier. Source: Copernicus Climate Change Service
Greece tourism is ‘unsustainable’
In Greece, “overtourism” from millions flocking to its beaches adds further pressure to water supplies, said Nikitas Mylopoulos, professor of water resource management at Thessaly University.
“The tourist sector is unsustainable and there is no planning… leading to a tremendous rise in water demand in summer,” he told Sky News.
“The islands have an intense problem of drought and water scarcity.”
Islands like Santorini and Mykonos are now forced to ship in water from Athens or desalination plants to provide for showers and swimming pools. In the past, many residents could make do with local methods like rainwater harvesting.
But agriculture is a far bigger drain on the country’s water, with waste rife and policies lacking, said Prof Mylopoulos.
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1:55
‘Tropical nights’ soar in European hotspots
Wildfire season could be ‘particularly difficult’
This year’s hot and dry conditions are also fuelling the risk of yet another fierce wildfire season in Greece.
Last week civil protection minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis warned of a “particularly difficult” summer.
He said a record 18,000 firefighters have been deployed and the drone fleet almost doubled in a bid to combat fires being fuelled by a hotter climate.
Droughts and their causes are more complicated, but scientists at World Weather Attribution say global warming is exacerbating drought in some parts of the world, including around the Mediterranean.
Image: A drought was declared in northwest England on Thursday. Pic: Reuters
The International Hydropower Association said drought and intense rain in Europe are pushing power plants to “operate at the limits of their existing equipment”.
Extreme weather costs the EU about €28.3bn (£23.8bn) in lost crops and livestock per year, according to insurance firm Howden.
Hayley Fowler, professor of climate change impacts at Newcastle University, said: “With global warming, we expect more prolonged and intense droughts and heatwaves punctuated by more intense rainfall, possibly causing flash floods.
“In recent years, we have experienced more of these atmospheric blocks, causing record heat and persistent drought, as well as severe flooding in other locations in Europe.
“Recent months have been no different, with prolonged dry conditions and heatwaves in northern Europe and floods in southern Europe.”
At least 117 people have died and others are still missing after heavy flooding in Nigeria, an emergency official said.
Authorities initially said 21 people had died but this figure has today risen significantly.
Media reports quoting local government officials said a dam collapse has worsened the situation.
Ibrahim Hussaini, head of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said some 3,000 houses were underwater in two communities.
Videos posted on social media show floodwater sweeping through neighbourhoods, with rooftops barely visible above the brown currents. One clip shows a tanker floating through a town.
Image: A tanker is swept away by floodwaters
The chairman of the Mokwa local government area suggested poor infrastructure has worsened the impact of the flooding.
Jibril Muregi has appealed to the government to start “long overdue” construction of waterways in the area under a climate resilience project.
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Image: Water appears to be flowing over a dam behind the town
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In a similar occurrence last September, torrential rains and a dam collapse in Nigeria’s northeastern Maiduguri caused severe flooding, leaving at least 30 people dead and displacing millions.
Nigeriais prone to flooding during the rainy season, which began in April – and flooding is becoming more common and extreme as the climate warms.
Hotter air is thirstier and can hold more moisture – about 7% more for every 1C warmer – meaning it unleashes heavier flooding when it rains.
Violent rain, which killed hundreds of people in Nigeria during 2022, was made at least 80 times more likely and 20% more intense by climate change, analysis by World Weather Attribution found.