When President William Lai (賴清德) on Sunday said that defending the Republic of China’s (ROC) status does not equate to pursuing Taiwanese independence, many of his critics immediately turned to familiar political tactics: Some accused him of “smuggling in” Taiwanese independence, while others questioned whether the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has changed its position on the issue.
For many Taiwanese, the most important aspect of Lai’s statement is that it articulates a long-standing reality.
Many Taiwanese did not grow up with a choice between the ROC and Taiwan. They grew up in a reality where their passports read “Republic of China.” They chanted “Taiwan” at baseball games and were referred to as “Taiwanese” while traveling abroad. They watched fireworks on Double Ten National Day, while also standing before world maps and having to explain their nation.
Taiwanese identity has never been a textbook-style multiple-choice question, but a shared memory formed through lived experience.
That is why Lai’s remark resonated with so many people. It was not merely diplomatic rhetoric, but a reflection of the maturity of Taiwanese society. For a long time, Taiwanese politics has been reduced to two extremes. Some believe that mentioning the ROC signifies concession, while others believe emphasizing Taiwan’s distinct identity equates to “radical independence.”
The true nature of Taiwanese society has never been black and white.
The real reason the DPP’s 1999 National Congress Resolution on Taiwan’s Future was so important is that it provided a more realistic political language: Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent nation that currently exists under the name “ROC.”
It was not about fantasizing over founding a nation someday, but about recognizing that Taiwanese had long since formed a substantively existing political community through democratic institutions, elections, a judiciary, a military and border control.
In other words, Taiwan’s greatest challenge is no longer whether it exists, but rather how it can continue to exist.
At a moment of intense turbulence in international affairs, the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) naturally raises concerns.
However, the most important responsibility of a democratic government is not to chant political slogans, but to consistently reassure the world that Taiwan is not a troublemaker. The real force attempting to alter the “status quo” is China, with its ongoing escalation of military and political pressure.
From military intrusions to “gray zone” operations, Beijing has consistently tried to frame Taiwan’s very existence as a problem. Yet for Taiwanese, their most basic aspirations are quite simple — to maintain the freedom to vote, the freedom to speak and the freedom to decide their future.
A truly mature national identity does not require everyone to say the same thing, but rather a willingness to protect their nation even amid differences.
Taiwanese can and should scrutinize military procurement and weigh its pros and cons, but they must also understand that national defense determines whether they can retain the ability to choose their own way of life amid changing global circumstances.
Loving Taiwan and identifying with the ROC are not mutually exclusive, and defending our democratic way of life does not require denying one another’s identities.
Liu Che-ting is a writer.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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