In his first National Day speech, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te pledged to stand against any attempt by China to annex or encroach on the island’s territory, Al Jazeera reports.
“Our democracy is growing and thriving,” Lai said, speaking to a crowd of 23 million Taiwanese citizens gathered in front of the presidential office. “I will uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment on our sovereignty.”
China claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification. Tensions have risen since Lai, whom Beijing labels a “separatist,” was elected president in January.
Despite the strong stance against any attempts at annexation, Lai also struck a pragmatic tone, indicating a willingness to cooperate with Beijing on issues of mutual concern. He pointed to areas like climate change, tackling contagious diseases, and maintaining regional security, suggesting collaboration for the “wellbeing of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”
Lai also called on China to use its diplomatic influence to resolve the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
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