Tsai Ing-wen sworn in as Taiwan's 1st female president

The swearing-in ceremony began at 9 a.m. at the Presidential Office in Taipei, to be followed by a 30-minute speech delivered by Tsai at around 11 a.m. outside the building.
Tsai's victory in the January election makes her the island's first female president and only the second Democratic Progressive Party president since the island's first democratic presidential election in 1996.
The DPP, which is historically skeptical of closer ties with China, in January also won a majority of seats in the legislature for the first time in the party's history.
Arguably the most powerful woman in the Chinese-speaking world, Tsai, 59, happens to be the country's first unmarried president, a gay rights supporter, and avid cat lover.
Tsai has two cats. One is named Shiang Shiang (meaning "think think" in Chinese) and the other is Ah Tsai (meaning "talent"). Shiang Shiang was a homeless female cat Tsai adopted in 2012 while Ah Tsai, a male farm cat, was a gift from a friend during her presidential campaign.
The landslide victory of the DPP in the January elections is a major worry for China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has steadfastly promised to bring the island into its fold, by force if necessary.
Since the January elections, Beijing has been beefing up efforts to pressure Tsai to clarify her position on de jure Taiwan independence and the so-called "1992 consensus" on the "one China" principle.
The two preconditions are what outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou's Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Communist Party of China regard as the political foundation for bilateral talks and 23 agreements signed since Ma was first elected in 2008.
While the KMT and CPC recognize the "one China" principle, Beijing interprets "one China" as the People's Republic of China, but Taipei interprets it as the Republic of China -- the official name of Taiwan.
Despite cross-strait achievements, Ma was harshly criticized for his China-friendly policy and failure to consult the legislature and Taiwanese public before signing cross-strait pacts.
Tsai does not recognize the "1992 consensus," but said she "understands and respects" the "1992 meeting" where both sides of the Taiwan Strait "reached some common acknowledgement and understanding."
She has pledged to maintain the "status quo" for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait based on the "historic fact of the 1992 meeting" and the "existing political foundation." Tsai also promised to build a cross-strait relationship that is "consistent, predictable and sustainable." Also reassuring to Beijing is that Tsai promised there would be "no provocations or accidents" during her presidency.
Tsai hopes that by keeping China at bay, she can focus on tackling domestic issues and boosting relations with two of the island's most important partners -- Japan and the United States -- as well as develop closer ties with Southeast Asian countries.