China has launched a scathing attack on Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, accusing him of ‘escalating hostility and confrontation with sinister intentions.’ The Chinese government’s statement came ahead of Lai’s crucial national address in Taipei on Thursday, a speech that could potentially ignite a Chinese military response. The day holds historical significance as it marks the overthrow of the last Chinese dynasty in 1911, ushering in the Republic of China. Following a civil war defeat in 1949, the defeated republican government sought refuge in Taiwan, which remains the island’s formal name to this day.
China, which asserts its claim over democratically-governed Taiwan as its territory, labels Lai a ‘separatist.’ Responding to Lai’s weekend comments dismissing the possibility of China becoming Taiwan’s ‘motherland’ due to Taiwan’s older political roots, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office condemned his views as a distortion of reality. In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the office declared that Lai continues to advocate for the theory of two separate countries across the Taiwan Strait.
The statement went on to assert, “Lai Ching-te’s Taiwan independence fallacy is just old wine in a new bottle, and again exposes his obstinate stance on Taiwan independence and his sinister intentions of escalating hostility and confrontation.” Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, responsible for China policy, countered that the People’s Republic of China has never held sway over the island since 1949. The Council emphasized, “The Taiwan Affairs Office’s remarks have made Taiwan’s people see clearly that the Chinese communists regard themselves as the sole legitimate government of China and simply do not allow any room for the survival of the Republic of China.”
Reports from Reuters indicate that China may undertake military drills near Taiwan in response to Lai’s speech, potentially employing this as a tactic to pressure the island into accepting its sovereignty claims. The escalating tensions between China and Taiwan remain a pressing concern, with the potential for military action casting a shadow over the region.
