Lai Ching-te in National Day speech: Strengthening defence is not provocation, Taiwan will not accept subjugation
Photo: Collected
In his National Day speech on Saturday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said his country wants peace but will not sacrifice its freedom for it.
President Lai said the right of Taiwan’s people to live in their own way must be respected. Strengthening defence cannot be called provocation either.
He said peace is not ensured merely by wanting peace. Taiwan wants contact and exchanges with other countries, but will not accept subjugation by anyone. China keeps ramping up military and political pressure on democratically governed Taiwan.
Beijing claims the island as its own territory, although Taiwan’s government has been rejecting this claim. Taiwan lags far behind China in military strength. For that reason Taipei is increasing spending on defence and also modernising its armed forces. The list of new weapons includes fighter jets that are not easily detected by radar, aircraft carriers and a huge number of missiles.
In the speech, delivered standing outside the presidential office, Lai said, ‘Taiwan values peace, but we will not give up our freedom. We are interested in mutual contact and exchanges, but will not accept subjugation by anyone.’
In his view, the firm stance Taiwan has taken in the face of the expansion of authoritarian power is not only a matter of protecting its own existence; the question of international rules and people’s right to determine their own future is also tied to it. Lai said, ‘It also depends on whether the international community still believes that rules cannot be overridden by the use of force. Likewise, no powerful party can take away a people’s right to determine their own future.’
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office was asked for comment on Lai’s remarks; it did not immediately respond. China has kept open the option of using force if necessary to bring Taiwan under its control. Beijing calls Lai a ‘separatist’.
Lai said the additional money is not being spent on defence with the aim of provoking China; its goal is to prevent war and maintain peace. In his words, ‘We are strengthening our defence system not to close the path to dialogue. Rather, we are doing this to ensure talks on the basis of equal dignity and respect.’
Lai gave his first National Day speech as president in 2024. Shortly after that, China conducted military drills around Taiwan. Last year, however, it did not conduct any such drills. China’s latest military drill around Taiwan took place in late December last year. Before that, news had been published that a deal had been struck to sell $11 billion worth of arms to Taiwan. That deal with the United States is the largest arms sale deal for Taiwan to date.
Lai welcomed the fact that the United States and China are managing competition and reducing the risk of conflict through talks between themselves. At the same time, he called on the democratic countries of the Indo-Pacific region to work together. He believes increasing cooperation among the countries is essential to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Taiwan’s National Day is observed on the anniversary of an uprising in 1911. That uprising resulted in the fall of China’s last monarchical rule and the establishment of the Republic of China.
After being defeated in a civil war by the communists led by Mao Zedong, the Republic of China government moved to Taiwan in 1949. The island’s official name is still the Republic of China. Source: The Kansas City Star
