TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is listed in Time magazine's “100 Most Influential People of 2024.”

Lai and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) were the two prominent Taiwanese on the list. The article introduces the significant challenges that Lai, who takes office on May 20, will shoulder, likening him to the Greek Titan Atlas.

Lai's introductory article was written by former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to China. The article described Lai as the son of a miner and a public health expert trained at Harvard University. 

Huntsman emphasized that the health of Taiwan's 23 million citizens is just one part of Lai's immense future task: “ensuring his government’s very survival, amid China’s amped-up campaign to reclaim the nascent democracy.”

The article mentioned that Taiwan's vibrant civil society is booming and trade is burgeoning, with more than half of the world's important chips supplied by Taiwan. However, as relations with Beijing become increasingly tense, Taiwan faces high risks.

For Lai, who won 40% of the votes in the election, this situation is akin to the mythical Atlas “shouldering the world." His choices will not only impact the globally tense situation but also influence the future of democracy in Asia, wrote Huntsman.

Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of 2024 is categorized into "Artists," "Icons," "Titans," "Leaders," "Innovators," and "Pioneers," with Lai listed under the "Leaders" category. 

As for other figures in Asia, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) are also named in this category, while Jensen Huang is listed under "Innovators," and Japanese animation master Miyazaki Hayao is included in the "Icons" category.