Taiwan's president offers peace with China — but says defenses must be strengthened
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Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivers an address to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration at the Presidential Office in Taipei on May 20. Photo: Cheng Yu-Chen/AFP via Getty Images
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday expressed hope for peace and dialogue with China — but said the island must continue to strengthen its defenses, Reuters reported.
The big picture: The message of peace suggests a somewhat softer tone than Lai struck earlier this month, when he compared his nation to European countries facing off against Nazi Germany in World War II, per The Guardian.
- "Taiwan and Europe are jointly facing the threat of a new totalitarian group," he said in a speech commemorating the end of the second world war, warning against "appeasement."
- High tensions were escalated in March after Lai labeled China a "foreign hostile force" and announced a slate of new national security measures, like tightening residency criteria, per the BBC.
Context: Lai rejects China's claims of sovereignty over his democratic country. China considers him a "separatist" and a "crisis maker," and it views the island as a breakaway territory.
- Lai is guiding his country through a time of growing military pressure from Beijing, which has vowed to "advance the cause" of Chinese reunification," though not without controversies of his own.
- China has denied past offers for dialogue, rejecting Taiwan's sovereignty.
What he's saying: "I, too, am committed to peace. Because peace is priceless and war has no winners," Lai said from Taipei as he completed one year in office, per Reuters' translation.
- "But when it comes to seeking peace, we cannot have dreams or illusions."
- He added that Taiwan will continue strengthening its defenses, contending that preparing for war is the best way to avoid it.
- "I also reiterate here — Taiwan is happy to have exchanges and cooperation with China as long as there is reciprocal dignity," he said, per Reuters. "Using exchanges to replace hemming in, dialogue to replace confrontation."
Catch up quick: The Chinese military has conducted military drills around the self-governing island for years.
- Last month, Beijing directed a show of force as a "stern warning" to the pro-independence push, as it called Lai a "parasite" in propaganda materials, per NBC.
- During the two-day war games, Reuters reported, it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, though the Taiwanese defense ministry said no live fire drills were detected around the island itself.
- As Reuters noted, the escalation followed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's visit to Asia, in which he vowed to counter China's "aggression."
- How the U.S. would approach such a clash between the two nations is uncertain under Trump's second White House term.
Go deeper: Ahead of key election, Taiwan's identity politics shapes views on China
