Taiwan: Taiwan’s Vice President Mr. William Lai has declared that the self-governed island will not back down in the face of authoritarian threats. The statement comes after China pledged to take “forceful and resolute measures” following Mr. Lai’s stopover in the United States. The Taiwanese Vice President made the comments during a lunch with his supporters in New York City.
Mr. Lai, who is also the frontrunner to be Taiwan’s next president in the January elections, is in the US on a transit stop on his way to Paraguay for the inauguration of its new president. Paraguay is one of only 13 countries to maintain formal ties with the Chinese-claimed island.
Both Taiwan and the US say the stopovers are routine, while China has denounced them and called Mr. Lai a separatist “troublemaker.”
“Mr. Lai told supporters that if Taiwan is safe, the world is safe. If the Taiwan Strait is peaceful, then the world is peaceful,” Taiwan’s presidential office stated.
“No matter how great the threat of authoritarianism is to Taiwan, we absolutely will not be scared nor cower; we will uphold the values of democracy and freedom,” the Taiwan leader added.
Mr. Lai, who has pledged to maintain peace and the status quo, reaffirmed that, on the basis of the principles of dignity and parity, he was “very willing” to talk to China and seek peace and stability.
But the Vice President noted that he will protect Taiwan’s sovereignty, that only Taiwanese people can decide their future, and that the Republic of China (Taiwan’s formal name) and the People’s Republic of China are “not subordinate to each other.”
Mr. Lai’s speech was attended by Mr. Ingrid Larson, Managing Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, a US government-run nonprofit that carries out unofficial relations with Taiwan.
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