(Taipei) Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te warned Wednesday that “China’s growing authoritarianism will not stop at the island” and called on “democratic countries” to unite to thwart the expansion.
The statement comes a day after a senior Chinese Communist Party official said Beijing was confident of a “complete reunification” with Taiwan, a self-governing democratic territory that China claims as its own.
Speaking at the annual Ketagalan forum on “Indo-Pacific security” in Taipei, Lai said Taiwan is not Beijing’s “only target”.
“We are all keenly aware that China’s growing authoritarianism will not stop at Taiwan, nor is Taiwan the only target of China’s economic pressure,” he told policymakers and academics from the 11 countries attending the forum.
China is intent on changing the rules-based international order. That is why democratic countries must unite and take concrete measures. Only by working together can we curb the spread of authoritarianism.
Lai Ching-te, Taiwanese President
Mr Lai, who was sworn in last May, is considered a “dangerous separatist” by China because of his firm policy in favour of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
In recent years, Beijing has stepped up military and political pressure on Taiwan and held military exercises, surrounding the island with fighter jets and warships, days after Mr Lai’s inauguration.
The Taiwanese military reports almost daily the presence of Chinese warships in its waters and fighter jets and drones around the island.
This “military expansionism” by China is also evident elsewhere, according to Mr. Lai, who mentioned Beijing’s joint maneuvers with Russia in the South China Sea, the Western Pacific and the Sea of Japan.
“Taiwan will not be intimidated. We will take responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” he said.
Mr Lai has repeatedly offered Beijing the chance to resume dialogue that was broken off after Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016. He reiterated them on Wednesday.
“Taiwan will not yield or provoke… On the basis of parity and dignity, we are ready to exchange and cooperate with China,” Lai reaffirmed on Wednesday.
China’s Foreign Ministry responded to the remarks on Wednesday afternoon, with spokeswoman Mao Ning insisting that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of Chinese territory” and accusing Mr Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of misleading the public.
PHOTO ANDY WONG, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Mao Ning, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
No matter what they say or do, they cannot change the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, nor can they stop the historical trend. [qui est] the reunification of China.
Mao Ning, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs