Taiwan President Lai Ching-te spoke out against China’s threats towards Taiwan independence separatists, emphasizing that democracy is not a crime. Lai condemned autocracy as the true “evil” and highlighted the importance of respecting Taiwan’s sovereignty. China has openly expressed its disapproval of Lai and conducted military exercises soon after his inauguration. In an attempt to exert further pressure on Taiwan, China released new legal guidelines to punish those supporting the island’s independence, despite lacking jurisdiction over Taiwan. Lai addressed China’s actions during a news conference, expressing sympathy for the recent flooding in southern China before responding to the issue at hand.
“I want to emphasize that democracy is not a crime; it is autocracy that is the true evil. China has no right to impose sanctions on the people of Taiwan simply because of their beliefs. Furthermore, China has no authority to infringe upon the rights of Taiwanese people beyond its borders,” he stated.
According to China, anyone who does not support “reunification” is considered a proponent of Taiwan independence, Lai added.
“I also urge China to acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China and engage in exchanges and dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected and legitimate government,” he said, using Taiwan’s official name. “Failure to do so will only lead to further estrangement between Taiwan and China.”
The U.S. State Department also expressed concern over China’s threats on Monday.
“We strongly condemn the aggressive and destabilizing behavior and rhetoric of Chinese officials,” stated spokesperson Matthew Miller in reference to the People’s Republic of China. “Threats and legal tactics will not lead to a peaceful resolution of the differences between Taiwan and China.”
CHINESE MILITARY FLIGHTS
Taiwan has reported a significant increase in Chinese military flights since Thursday, as Beijing conducted a “joint combat readiness patrol” near the island.
From Thursday to Sunday, Taiwan detected 115 Chinese military aircraft operating in close proximity, with some getting as close as 31 nautical miles (57 km) from the southern tip of the island.
For the past four years, Taiwan has observed regular military activity from China as part of a “grey zone” pressure campaign.
According to a senior official, Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang war games next month will focus on replicating real combat scenarios, in response to the increasing “enemy threat” from China. Lai, who rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, emphasizes that Taiwan’s future should be determined by its people. Despite offering talks with China multiple times, Lai has faced rejection. China has warned that any move by Taiwan to declare formal independence would be met with an attack. The government in Taipei asserts that Taiwan is already an independent country, known as the Republic of China, and has no plans to change this status. Lai also faces challenges domestically, as his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its parliamentary majority in the January election that brought him to power.
During a news conference on Monday, Lai announced his intention to request the constitutional court to suspend a set of parliament reforms proposed by the opposition. He also emphasized the need to assess whether these reforms align with the constitution.
The opposition argues that these reforms, which include the criminalization of contempt of parliament by government officials, are necessary to enhance accountability. However, the DPP contends that they were passed without adequate deliberation.