Taiwan's Lai Says Island Will Not Give Up Freedom; Beijing Denounces 'Ulterior Motives'
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Saturday in his National Day address outside the Presidential Office that "Taiwan cherishes peace, but we will not give up our freedom," adding that the island is open to exchanges but "will not accept subordination."
Lai said peace cannot rely solely on "wishes" and must be backed by strength, insisting that increased defense investment is aimed not at provocation but at deterring war. Strengthening self-defense, he said, ensures that dialogue can take place "on the basis of parity and dignity."
Beijing quickly denounced the speech. China's Taiwan Affairs Office accused Lai of "disregarding facts, distorting the truth, misleading the public, and revealing ulterior motives," saying he clung to "Taiwan independence" separatist thinking and hyped the "threat from the mainland." It restated that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of it, adding that Taiwan's future "can and must be decided jointly by all the Chinese people."
The speech comes amid intensifying military and political pressure from Beijing. Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernizing its armed forces but faces China's far larger military, which is adding stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and large missile arsenals. After Lai's first National Day speech in 2024, China staged war games around the island.
Attention now turns to whether Beijing will respond with new military exercises, as it has done after past high-profile speeches.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：赖清德总统官方肖像。摄影：台湾总统府（供图），Attribution，来源：Wikimedia Commons
