President Lai Asserts China’s Lack of Authority to Represent Taiwan

October 10, 2024 TruthUSA

The Taiwan President also asked China to ‘live up to the expectations of the international community.’

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan’s freedom and way of life are under threat by authoritarianism, as stated by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. He is steadfast in protecting the island’s sovereignty from annexation or encroachment.

Lai, who assumed office in May, delivered a significant national address in front of the presidential office in Taipei on Oct. 10, Taiwan’s National Day. This year’s celebration also marks Taiwan’s 113th birthday.

“On this land, democracy and freedom are flourishing. The People’s Republic of China has no authority to represent Taiwan,” said Lai, referring to China by its official name.

Lai reaffirmed Taiwan’s stance of preserving the current peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait while aiming for fair and respectful discussions with China.

“As president, my duty is to ensure our nation’s perseverance and progress,” Lai added. “I will also uphold the pledge to resist any attempts at annexation or violation of our sovereignty.”

China’s animosity towards Taiwan and its democratic system has intensified since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained power in 2016. Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, began her first term as president during that time, with Lai serving as vice president. The Chinese communist regime views both Tsai and Lai as “separatists,” a term frequently used by Beijing for any Taiwanese supporting the island’s independence.

Lai expressed his administration’s desire to collaborate with China on issues like climate change, disease prevention, and regional security.

He urged China to “live up to the expectations of the international community” and utilize its influence to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East.

“Taiwan faces persistent challenges, and global challenges are equally ours,” Lai said. “The increasing authoritarianism is creating numerous obstacles to the rules-based international order, jeopardizing our hard-earned free and democratic way of life.”

His administration is focusing on advancing five “trusted industry sectors,” namely semiconductors, artificial intelligence, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications, Lai stated.

Prior to his address, Lai met with over 140 foreign guests at the presidential office, including officials from Tuvalu, Palau, and the U.S. Congress. Three U.S. lawmakers visited Taiwan on Oct. 6.

‘Calm and Rational’

The Chinese military has increased its activities around Taiwan in recent years, with air sorties, naval deployments, and live-fire exercises. Shortly after Lai’s inauguration in May, China conducted what they called “punishment” drills encircling the island.

Prior to Lai’s speech on Thursday, Taiwanese and Western officials warned of potential military drills from China in response to his address.

“Even though we haven’t seen significant military activities or exercises following past 10/10 speeches, we are prepared for Beijing to potentially use this as a justification this year,” a senior U.S. administration official stated on Oct. 9. “We see no reason for a routine annual celebration to be utilized in this manner. Coercive actions like this against Taiwan and in the cross-Strait context, in our opinion, undermine cross-Strait stability.”

Despite China’s military aggressiveness, the majority of Taiwanese people don’t believe China will invade the island in the next five years, according to a poll conducted by Taiwan’s top military research institute, the Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR), on Oct. 9.

The poll revealed that 61 percent of respondents believed it was “unlikely or very unlikely” for China to launch an attack on Taiwan in the next five-year period. The survey involved around 1,200 individuals in September.

“Most individuals don’t foresee China’s territorial ambitions culminating in an attack on Taiwan,” said Christina Chen, an INDSR researcher. “Most people perceive China’s territorial ambitions as a significant threat.”

Chen emphasized that Taiwanese citizens are also anxious about other Chinese threats, such as military exercises and propaganda campaigns.

“This indicates that Taiwanese people acknowledge the threat but remain calm and rational with the anticipation of an impending war,” the INDSR noted.

Over 67 percent of respondents stated they would fight back if China attacked, though opinions were split on whether Taiwan’s military could defend the island adequately.

The survey also showed divided views on whether the U.S. would aid in Taiwan’s defense: 74 percent believed the U.S. government was likely to provide indirect support through food, medical supplies, and weapons, while 52 percent thought the U.S. military would intervene directly.

The United States and Taiwan do not have a formal alliance currently, and Washington has maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity”—keeping their stance vague on whether they would intervene in Taiwan’s defense.

‘Isolate the Island’

Assistant Professor Amrita Jash, from the Department of Geopolitics and International Relations at India’s Manipal Academy of Higher Education, recently published an analysis on China’s military drills from 2018 to 2024. The analysis was released by the Washington-based Global Taiwan Institute on Oct. 2.

Jash observed that the Chinese exercises have become more sophisticated, incorporating advanced technologies like drones.

“China’s military drills show a distinct pattern of being ‘frequent, intense, large-scale and multi-domain’ in nature—with the goal of exhibiting China’s capability to blockade and isolate Taiwan, and signaling Beijing’s disapproval of any perceived movements towards Taiwan’s independence,” he explained.

Taiwan heavily relies on food and energy imports for its population of about 2 million, and any disruptions in these supplies would severely impact its economy.

In an article published on Oct. 9, the U.S. Institute of Peace stated that China would harm its own economy if it decided to impose a sea and air blockade on Taiwan.

China’s blockade “would likely halt shipments of the advanced microchips the Chinese economy needs to keep pace technologically with the U.S., and hinder the economic integration it seeks with the island,” as per the article.

“If China blocks exports from an island that holds about 90% of the world’s most advanced semiconductor capacity, the U.S. may garner broad support for retaliatory measures, possibly pressuring China at various maritime chokepoints.”

In the event of a Taiwan invasion, China would lose foreign investment, critical technology, and tax revenue, crippling its economy significantly, the article highlighted.

Last year, CIA Director William Burns warned that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping had directed China’s military to be prepared by 2027 for a successful invasion of Taiwan.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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