A new president will take office in Taiwan on Monday. While he's the former vice president, the new administration will be facing some different challenges.
Lai Ching-te won January's presidential election in Taiwan with more than 40% of the vote.
That's considerably less than the person he served as vice president.
Tsai Ing-wen took more than 56% of the vote in both of her elections for the top spot.
Tsai's party also controlled a majority of seats in parliament — a political advantage her successor will not have.
The main opposition party holds a slim lead in parliamentary numbers, but no party will have an absolute majority.
The results of the presidential election were more of a disappointment than a surprise to the government in Beijing government, which has referred to Lai as a “dangerous separatist.”
Lai has called for dialogue with China, but so far there's been no official response.
This week, Chinese forces have stepped up naval and air patrols near Taiwan — including sending nearly two dozen military aircraft into airspace close to the main island.
Next week, attention will turn to the language of Lai's inauguration speech on Monday.
Taiwan's Central News Agency reports he's likely to send a “goodwill message” to the Beijing government — looking to “strengthen dialogue and reduce the spiral of hostility.”
