Latest news with #crossStraitRelations
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
China Slams Taiwan's Lai for Speech Mentioning Independence
China harshly condemned Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te for a speech aimed at rallying the democracy's 23 million people to stand up to its larger neighbor — a back-and-forth that illustrates a deepening cross-strait divide. Lai was 'wantonly spreading separatist remarks about 'Taiwan independence,'' the People's Daily said in a commentary on Tuesday, adding the address 'was a provocation that was strong and harmful.' The article also called Lai a litany of names such as 'warmaker,' while also saying his remarks displayed 'madness.'
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
China says Taiwan president spreading 'heresy' with sovereignty speech
BEIJING, June 23 (Reuters) - China on Monday accused Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te of "heresy", hostility and provocation, after a speech in which he said the island is "of course" a country and there is historical evidence and legal proof to back this up. Beijing says democratically-governed Taiwan is "sacred" Chinese territory that has belonged to China since ancient times, and that the island is one of its provinces with no right to be called a state. Lai and his government strongly reject that view, and have offered talks with China multiple times but have been rejected. China calls Lai a separatist. China's Taiwan Affairs Office, responding to Lai's Sunday evening speech, said he had intentionally distorted history to promote his Taiwan independence agenda and that the island has never been a country. "It was a 'Taiwan independence' declaration that blatantly incited cross-strait confrontation, and a hodgepodge of 'Taiwan independence' fallacies and heresies full of errors and omissions," it said in a statement. "The fallacies fabricated by Lai Ching-te in contravention of history, reality and jurisprudence will only be swept into the rubbish heap of history." Lai has repeatedly said that only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and that, as the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island, it has no right to claim it or speak on its behalf. In 1949, the Republic of China government fled to Taiwan after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, and that remains the island's formal name. Taiwan has over the past five years faced stepped-up military and political pressure from China, including war games.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
China can't decide whether we are a country, Taiwan foreign minister says
TAIPEI, May 21 (Reuters) - China has no right to decide whether or not Taiwan is a country given it chooses its own government, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Wednesday, adding that he would be happy to shake the hand of his Chinese opposite number in friendship. China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military and political pressure to assert those claims, including increasing the intensity of war games, saying the island is one of its provinces with no right to be called a state. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and his government strongly reject that view, and have offered talks with China multiple times but have been rejected. China calls Lai a "separatist". Asked by Reuters what he would say to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi should they ever meet, Lin said that given the opportunity he would definitely shake hands with him. "What the nature is of cross-Taiwan Strait relations can be discussed, but we are all human. First, extend the hand of friendship. If he shook my hand, that would be a good start," he said at a press briefing to mark the first anniversary of Lai taking office. "If he takes his hand back, that's his problem." Taiwan's formal name is the Republic of China, the name of the government which in 1949 fled to the island after losing a bloody civil war with Mao Zedong's communists, who established the People's Republic of China. "Whether or not Taiwan is a country is not up to Wang Yi, nor the People's Republic of China, to say. The whole world sees us as a country. We choose our governments democratically. It is our business what our name is." China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The chances Lin and Wang could meet are low. Neither government recognises the other, officials do not visit each other, and Taiwan is not a member of most international bodies due to China's objections. Lai on Tuesday reiterated an offer to talk to China, saying he sought peace but that the island must also boost its defences. China responded by saying his comments were a "two-faced tactic" that were a "waste of effort and doomed to fail". Taiwan's government has warned that Beijing could mark the anniversary with more military drills.
CNA
19-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
A look at Taiwan President William Lai's first year in office
It has almost been a year since Taiwanese leader William Lai became president and cross-Strait relations have hit a new low. Mr Lai is facing not only increased military and diplomatic pressure from China, but his minority government must also navigate an increasingly volatile global trade landscape amid America's tariff war. Victoria Jen takes a closer look at how Mr Lai has fared so far as he heads into his second year in office.
