Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, assumes office amid tensions with China.

• On Monday, Lai Ching-te was inaugurated as Taiwan's new president, amid growing suspicions from China about the current leadership.
• After winning January's election, Lai secured his position as president, marking the first time the Democratic Progressive Party has held power for a third term.

On Monday, Lai Ching-te was inaugurated as Taiwan's new president, with tensions with China increasing due to the leadership's perceived hostility towards Beijing's interests.

In January, Lai secured a victory in the election and assumed the presidency, marking the first time the Democratic Progressive Party had held power for a third term.

As vice president, Hsiao Bi-khim, 52, a former de facto Taiwan ambassador to the United States, was sworn in alongside Lai.

It is predicted that Lai will maintain the current stance in cross-strait relations with China.

Earlier, he committed to supporting Tsai's foreign and defense policies, which involve strengthening ties with the US and its allies and enhancing defense capabilities.

Beijing views Taiwan as its own territory and regards reunification with the mainland as a historical inevitability, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Beijing has intensified its military presence around Taiwan ahead of Lai's inauguration, which China has repeatedly condemned as a separatist and a "stubborn worker for Taiwan independence," according to Reuters.

Beijing's complex relationship with the U.S. has been a thorny issue, as the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence but has called for cross-Strait differences to be resolved peacefully, "in a manner that is acceptable to the people on both sides of the Strait."

During the APEC leaders summit in November, Xi conveyed to Biden that Taiwan is the "most crucial and delicate" matter in the China-U.S. relationship.

In January, Lai won the presidency, but the DPP lost its legislative majority and has a slim mandate.

Beijing's preferred political partner, the Kuomintang or KMT, has more seats than the DPP but not enough to have a majority on its own.