China's foreign ministry and its embassies around the world condemned foreign governments that congratulated Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its president-elect Lai Ching-te after an election on Saturday.

William Lai, the newly elected president of Taiwan, waves to a rally crowd after his victory.

After the DPP's presidential candidate Lai won the vote, several ministers and politicians in countries that share warm, if in most cases unofficial, ties with the self-ruled island sent congratulatory messages to Lai and the DPP.

This drew swift responses from Chinese embassies, highlighting Beijing's sensitivity to other countries appearing to give legitimacy to a candidate and political party it views as "secessionist forces" hoping to turn Taiwan - which it claims as its own - into an independent sovereign nation.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Sunday described a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, which congratulated Lai and said Washington looked forward to further its unofficial relationship with Taiwan, as "sending a seriously incorrect signal" to "Taiwan independence separatist forces".

"China has always firmly opposed any form of official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, and resolutely opposes the United States interfering in Taiwan affairs in any form and under any pretext," the foreign ministry said in a statement published on its website.

The Chinese embassy on Saturday condemned what it called the "incorrect actions" of British Foreign Minister David Cameron after he said, in a statement congratulating Lai and his party, that the elections were a "testament to Taiwan's vibrant democracy."

"We urge the United Kingdom to acknowledge the position that Taiwan is a province of China, cautiously handle Taiwan-related matters in accordance with the one-China principle, stop any remarks that interfere in China's internal affairs," the embassy said in a statement published on its official WeChat account.

The Chinese embassy in Japan went as far as lodging solemn representations, a form of official diplomatic protest, after Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa congratulated Lai on his victory.

Kamikawa called the self-ruled island "an extremely crucial partner and an important friend" but in the same statement she also stated that the working relationship with Taipei was on a "non-governmental basis".

"We solemnly urge the Japanese side to ... refrain from disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and China-Japan relations," The Chinese embassy said.

CHINA QUESTIONS TAIWAN'S DEMOCRACY

Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, fears that Lai could declare the establishment of a Republic of Taiwan, which Lai has said he will not do.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, speaking at a press conference in Cairo after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, gave a warning on Sunday to anyone in the international community that violates the one-China principle, which states Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

"(Such a violation) will inevitably be hit with the joint resistance of all Chinese people and the international community," Wang said.

The Chinese embassy in France said that a statement from the French foreign ministry on Sunday was a "provocation" against the Chinese government because it congratulated a separatist politician and political party in Lai and the DPP.

This was despite the fact that France, unlike several other countries, did not name Lai or his party in its statement, congratulating instead "all voters and candidates" who participated in the election.

"The 'Taiwan independence' candidate winning, and some so-called 'congratulations' cannot change fundamental framework and development trend of cross-Strait relations," the embassy said.

But the Chinese embassy also took issue with the statement's praise of Taiwanese democracy, accusing the DPP of corruption and repressing its political opponents.

"With such a stained and unsavoury track record, were it any western country, would it be championed as 'democracy'?"

Even on the eve of the election, Chinese diplomats were already warning their host countries of the consequences of supporting Lai and the DPP.

Xiao Qian, Chinese ambassador to Australia, published an article in The Australian on Friday where he warned his host country of unspecified dangers if it were to support "Taiwan independence forces" like the DPP.

"If Australia is tied to the chariot of Taiwan separatist forces, the Australian people would be pushed over the edge of an abyss," he wrote.

William Lai faces struggles with China and disillusioned youth after historic Taiwan election win

William Lai Chang-te made history on Saturday by securing a third term in the presidency for a party for the first time in Taiwan’s democratic era.

While achieving a little over 40 per cent of the vote for his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was a decent performance, it falls far short of the two majorities achieved under Tsai-Ing Wen, the outgoing president.

Ms Tsai, whom Mr Lai served as vice-president for the past four years, will be a hard act to follow. In the final rally of the election held in Taipei and attended by 200,000 people, Ms Tsai said that, however people felt about her time in power, every day there had been at least some progress.

Her management of the pandemic attracted praise globally. So too did her navigation of the transition from Donald Trump to Joe Biden, and the constant application of pressure by Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Mr Lai and his running mate, Hsiao Bi-kim, have already been roundly denounced by Chinese diplomats, and Mr Lai’s position on cross-strait relations is a clear cut one.

Taiwan has its integrity and autonomy, and stands, as he said in the first speech he made after being elected, on the side of democrats, and against autocrats.

Despite his strong words, his problem will be the same one all his recent predecessors have struggled with.

For all the threat and challenge that China poses, it still accounts for 45 per cent of Taiwan’s trade. Business with it is the lifeblood of the island. Almost 250,000 Taiwanese still reside, part of the time at least, across the strait.

Cost of living challenge

In this respect, Taiwan faces a dilemma. Its greatest economic partner is also its most serious security problem. Attempts over the last few years to diversify have proved only partially effective.

This economic dimension matters because, if there was one other theme coming through the 2024 elections, it is the frustration of the young at continuing high property prices, and squeezed cost of living conditions.

Tiny flats in downtown Taipei can go for well over £1 million, and disillusionment with the inability or unwillingness of governments to do anything about this issue started long ago.

But discontent has risen to such a peak now that the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) , the country’s third party and contesting a national election for the first time, made a solid showing. Some 26 per cent of the electorate that turned out cast their vote for its leader Ko Wen-je, a former doctor, who has managed to make a clear bond with younger, first-time voters.

In the long term, that may well be the most important outcome of this election. The two well-established parties, the DPP and the Nationalist KMT, clearly have work to do in order to reconnect with young voters.

The TPP have every reason to come back to fight for another day. They may well go on to become the opposition in the future. But for now, the DPP continues to rule the roost.