Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has called on China to cease its military and political threats, stating that peace is the only choice and that Beijing must respect the Taiwanese people’s choice. China responded by accusing Lai of sending “dangerous signals” that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Lai repeated his call for talks with China, which views the democratic island as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under Beijing’s control.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office described the situation in the Taiwan Strait as “complicated and grim,” stating that Taiwan independence is incompatible with peace in the region. The two sides belong to the same China, and China repeatedly called Lai a “separatist” who risked war in the run-up to his election in January.
Taiwan has faced pressure from China since the election victory by Lai, 64, who took over from Tsai Ing-wen. Lai emphasized that people must be realistic about the threat and Taiwan must show its determination to defend itself. He said that even if Taiwan accepts all of China’s claims and gives up its sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not disappear.
Lai received loud applause at his inauguration ceremony, where he reiterated that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. The navy was dispatched to monitor eight Chinese navy ships operating around Taiwan, and former U.S. officials, lawmakers from countries like Japan, Germany, and Canada, and leaders from some of the 12 countries that still maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan were in attendance.
