Taiwan President Lai's Approval Ratings Dip Amid Uncertain US Ties

Cross-strait tensions and domestic politics also contribute to tough first year in office

- Yip Wai Yee

TAIPEI - Heightened uncertainty over Taiwan's relations with the US has been a surprise challenge for Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, making his first year in office even harder than expected.

Difficulties in navigating this challenge have contributed to his disapproval ratings rising, according to several polls published in the lead-up to his first anniversary on May 20.

The latest survey results by leading pollster Formosa released on April 29 showed that Mr. Lai's disapproval rating of 47.3 per cent has overtaken his approval rating of 47.1 per cent, the first time this has happened in this poll since he assumed office nearly a year ago.

Another poll by opposition-leaning broadcaster TVBS published on May 16 put his disapproval rating at 55 per cent—a record high in his presidency—versus his approval rating of 32 per cent—a record low.

Meanwhile, an April 16 poll by Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, which is aligned with Mr. Lai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), showed that 45.7 per cent of respondents disapproved of his job performance, the highest rating recorded; 45.9 per cent said they approved, the second-lowest recorded.

Analysts say that while Mr. Lai has not lost his core supporters entirely, the numbers suggest he is facing high levels of dissatisfaction among more moderate Taiwanese not aligned with the DPP or the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

"More and more Taiwanese think that Taiwan is a huge mess right now, whether it has to do with domestic politics or on the foreign policy front," said Professor Yeh Yao-yuan, a political scientist and Taiwan studies expert at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

"The disapproval comes from those that were previously neutral towards Lai, but given all the challenges that he has had to face, it could have been much worse," Prof. Yeh told The Straits Times.