Taiwan's new DPP head: I'll protect democracy

TAIPEI: The new chief of Taiwan's ruling party who described himself as pro-independence vowed on Wednesday to uphold the self-ruling island's democracy in the face of Beijing's aggression and continue with policies that have defined relations with China and the United States.

Lai Ching-te, currently Taiwan's vice president, assumed his new role as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after winning an internal party vote on Sunday. He became interim chairman after leader Tsai Ing-wen resigned as party chairman when the DPP suffered a big loss in the mayoral races across Taiwan in November.