A Western diplomat, who declined to be named, described a deepening strategic predicament for Taiwan. "China has been tightening the proverbial screws on all fronts," he said. "Any response by Taiwan will lead China to double-down on such actions. Not responding is akin to giving up existing positions. This is a difficult situation to be in."
The challenges for Lai's administration are compounded by uncertainty over U.S. policy as well as a domestic opposition that controls the legislature. Cheng's Kuomintang, which insists it is ensuring proper checks and balances, has blocked much of Lai's agenda and cut billions in spending on domestic drone programs out of his flagship defense budget.