Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent nation and therefore has no need to declare its independence, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said at his swearing in as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman in Taipei yesterday.
Lai, who is regarded as the frontrunner to secure the DPP’s nomination for next year’s presidential election, made the comment after being asked to clarify his cross-strait policy.
Last month, he said it was to promote peace while protecting Taiwan.
Photo: Johnson Lai, AP
As a leading DPP politician who has previously called himself “a political worker for Taiwanese independence,” Lai’s recent comments are seen as marking a shift in the party’s policy regarding Beijing.
The DPP would continue to stand firm on President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) four commitments in managing cross-strait ties under his leadership, he said yesterday.
Tsai’s commitments are to defend the nation’s sovereignty and democratic constitutional order, ensure China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other, resist annexation or encroachment upon Taiwan’s sovereignty, and guarantee that Taiwan’s future is determined by Taiwanese alone, he said.
Asked to comment on his strategy to settle the differences between Taipei and Beijing, Lai said that China’s constant rhetorical attacks, military threats and efforts to alter the “status quo” are to blame for the rise in tensions, which is a problem Taiwan cannot resolve on its own.
Asked about his strategy to settle the differences between the two sides, Lai said that Taiwan cannot be expected to alleviate regional tensions caused by Beijing.
China should seek common ground with Taiwan and join forces in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, disasters and other humanitarian crises, which would benefit ordinary Chinese, he said.
Lai — who took the reins of the DPP from Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), who was acting chairman — announced reforms to restore the party’s electoral competitiveness following its rout in the nine-in-one local elections last year.
The reforms include purging corruption and dealing with members accused of breaching academic ethics, he said.
The DPP would improve the role of the democratic process to promote talent, restore its standing among diverse social forces and better respond to the needs of young people, he said.
The party’s platform to protect and promote democracy, peace and prosperity would be carried out by policies that emphasize the economy, societal issues, national defense and peace, Lai said.
The DPP must continue to create blueprints to develop the nation and share the fruits of economic growth without excluding any societal groups, he said.
The party should address the gap between rich and poor people, facilitate the creation of a tolerant and harmonious society, and ensure that peace and stability prevail in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
Additional reporting by CNA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela, and would continue to cooperate with democratic allies and work together for regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The remarks came after the US on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later flown to New York along with his wife. The pair face US charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations. The ministry said that it is closely monitoring the political and economic situation
UNRELENTING: China attempted cyberattacks on Taiwan’s critical infrastructure 2.63 million times per day last year, up from 1.23 million in 2023, the NSB said China’s cyberarmy has long engaged in cyberattacks against Taiwan’s critical infrastructure, employing diverse and evolving tactics, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday, adding that cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure last year increased 10-fold compared with the previous year. The NSB yesterday released a report titled Analysis on China’s Cyber Threats to Taiwan’s Critical Infrastructure in 2025, outlining the number of cyberattacks, major tactics and hacker groups. Taiwan’s national intelligence community identified a large number of cybersecurity incidents last year, the bureau said in a statement. China’s cyberarmy last year launched an average of 2.63 million intrusion attempts per day targeting Taiwan’s critical
‘SLICING METHOD’: In the event of a blockade, the China Coast Guard would intercept Taiwanese ships while its navy would seek to deter foreign intervention China’s military drills around Taiwan this week signaled potential strategies to cut the nation off from energy supplies and foreign military assistance, a US think tank report said. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted what it called “Justice Mission 2025” exercises from Monday to Tuesday in five maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan, calling them a warning to “Taiwanese independence” forces. In a report released on Wednesday, the Institute for the Study of War said the exercises effectively simulated blocking shipping routes to major port cities, including Kaohsiung, Keelung and Hualien. Taiwan would be highly vulnerable under such a blockade, because it
UNDER WAY: The contract for advanced sensor systems would be fulfilled in Florida, and is expected to be completed by June 2031, the Pentagon said Lockheed Martin has been given a contract involving foreign military sales to Taiwan to meet what Washington calls “an urgent operational need” of Taiwan’s air force, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. The contract has a ceiling value of US$328.5 million, with US$157.3 million in foreign military sales funds obligated at the time of award, the Pentagon said in a statement. “This contract provides for the procurement and delivery of 55 Infrared Search and Track Legion Enhanced Sensor Pods, processors, pod containers and processor containers required to meet the urgent operational need of the Taiwan air force,” it said. The contract’s work would be
RSS