Taiwan swears in its first female president

Tsai Ign-wen was sworn in on Friday at the presidential palace in Taipei.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen waves to supporters. (Ashley Pon/Getty)

Taiwan has sworn in Tsai Ing-wen, the country’s first female president, at the presidential palace in Taipei after winning a landslide victory in January.

During her inaugural speech on Friday, the 59-year-old said Taiwanese people have shown they are "committed to the defense of our freedom and democracy as a way of life.”

“Cross-Strait relations have become an integral part of building regional peace and collective security,” Tsai told thousands outside the palace. She also called for Taipei and Beijing to “set aside the baggage of history and engage in positive dialogue for the benefit of the people on both sides.”

Tsai’s led the Democratic Progressive Party, who’s leaned toward the island’s independence from China, to victory after eight years of Nationalist Ma Ying-jeou in January.

"If 'independence' is pursued, it will be impossible to have peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits," the Taiwan Affairs Office told the AFP after the speech. "Independence is the greatest disaster for the peaceful development of peace in the Taiwan straits and the peaceful development of cross-straits relations.”

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US Department of State, congratulated Tsai Ing-wen on her inauguration as Taiwan’s “fourth democratically elected president.

“We also congratulate the Taiwan people on the occasion of this peaceful transition of power, Kirby said in a statement, “which marks another milestone in the development of Taiwan’s vibrant democracy.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also reaffirmed China’s opposition to Taiwan’s independence after the speech. “Regardless of what internal changes take place within Taiwan, China will uphold the one China principle and oppose Taiwanese independence."