Hsiao Bi-khim, a former diplomat, officially announces her candidacy for the position of vice president as the deadline for candidates, November 24, approaches.
Hsiao Bi-khim, the vocal former envoy of Taiwan to the US, has formally announced her campaign for vice presidential candidate and William Lai’s running partner in the island’s impending 2024 election.
From 2020 until her leave of absence this week, Hsiao, 52, a former legislator for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), represented Taiwan as its de facto ambassador to the US.
As US-China ties were deteriorating, her stay in Washington, DC, coincided with a resurgence of American interest in Taiwan as a result of its early fight against COVID-19 and a continuing stalemate with Beijing.
Hsiao, a self-described “cat warrior” who frequently posts pictures of herself with her pets, is also renowned for being active on social media sites like X, where she has 133,000 followers and advocates for the DPP’s support of Taiwan.
“I’m back in Taiwan! I’m honored to be VP for 2024 on the ticket with @ChingteLai. Anticipate a challenging journey ahead as I bear an increased load. Our greatest efforts should be directed toward Taiwan’s democracy,” she wrote on Tuesday.
Similar to the current vice presidential candidate, Lai, Hsiao is hated in Beijing for her views on Taiwan’s relationship with China and politics surrounding it. Beijing officially prohibited her from traveling to China, Hong Kong, and Macau in April after she went with the president of China on her unofficial visit to the US.
Beijing maintains that Taipei is its territory, and it hasn’t ruled out using force to get what it wants. The DPP asserts that the destiny of their island belongs to the people of Taiwan.
Although Hsiao has angered Beijing, she is well-liked by younger people and is viewed as a change of pace from some of her rivals. Hsiao pronounces her name in Taiwanese rather than Mandarin, which is the language used in most of China, a reflection of the growing trend of Taiwanese identity on the island and in the diaspora.
With only a few days until the November 24 registration deadline, the opposition appears to be in disarray, which has given Lai’s presidential campaign a boost in the media.
