Taiwan’s President vows to resist ‘annexation’

President William Lai has pledged to uphold Taiwan’s self-governing status in his most high-profile address since taking office earlier this year.

In a thinly veiled reference to China’s claims over the island, Lai said he would “uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty.”

At the same time, Lai promised to maintain “the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and pledged to cooperate with Beijing on issues such as climate change, combating infectious diseases, and maintaining regional security.

In response to Lai’s speech, a spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “exposed his intransigent position” on Taiwan independence.

Lai was speaking to a crowd in Taipei to commemorate Taiwan’s National Day, just nine days after Communist China celebrated its 75th anniversary.

“The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other,” he said, referring to the governments of Taipei and Beijing.

“On this land, democracy and freedom are thriving. The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan,” he added.

Lai had previously assured visitors that there would be “no surprises” in his National Day address, to reassure them that he would avoid provoking Beijing further.

Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Taiwan University, told the BBC that the speech was “softer and less snarky” than Lai’s recent addresses. “It gives China far less ammunition to use against him.”

Nevertheless, Nachman added, “Beijing will still find reasons to object to this speech.”

Nachman predicted a strong reaction from Beijing, potentially in the form of military exercises in the coming days.

Calling Lai “intransigent” on independence, a spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized his speech and accused him of having a “sinister intention to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait to seek political gains.”

“No matter what the Lai Ching-te administration says or does, it will not change the objective fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the same China, nor will it stop the historical trend toward reunification,” Mao Ning told reporters, using Lai’s Chinese name.

Last week, Lai argued that it was “absolutely impossible” for China to be Taiwan’s “motherland,” noting that Taiwan’s government was founded in 1911, decades before the current Communist regime on mainland China was established in 1949.

“On the contrary, the Republic of China may actually be the motherland of citizens of the People’s Republic of China who are over 75 years old,” Lai remarked during a concert marking Taiwan’s National Day on Saturday.

Taiwan maintains the constitution of the Republic of China, which was founded on the Chinese mainland. After losing the civil war to the Communists in 1949, the Republic of China government fled to Taiwan, where it has remained ever since.

Last month, Lai also questioned China’s claim that its stance on Taiwan was based on territorial integrity. He suggested that, if true, Beijing would also seek to reclaim other historic lands that once belonged to the Chinese empire.

“If China wants to annex Taiwan… it’s not for the sake of territorial integrity,” Lai said in an interview marking his first 100 days in office. “If it were truly about territorial integrity, why doesn’t China take back Russia?”

Lai was referencing the 1858 Treaty of Aigun, which saw China concede large parts of Manchuria to Russia during what China calls its “century of humiliation,” when Western powers and Japan exploited the weakened Qing Dynasty.

On Wednesday, China’s government accused Lai of escalating tensions with “sinister intentions.”

“Lai Ching-te’s Taiwan independence rhetoric is just old wine in a new bottle, again revealing his obstinate stance on Taiwan independence and his intent to escalate hostility and confrontation,” stated the Taiwan Affairs Office of China.

After his election in January, Lai succeeded Taiwan’s former president Tsai Ing-wen, also from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Lai’s public remarks are seen by many observers as more confrontational than those of his predecessor, who was more cautious in her speeches.

Despite his more assertive tone, Lai has stressed his commitment to maintaining the “status quo” between Taiwan and China. He insists Taiwan has no need to declare independence, as it is already an independent sovereign nation that has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China.

Lai also addressed domestic issues in his speech, focusing on energy, climate change, and housing.

Credit: BBC