China should restrain itself and refrain from being a troublemaker that sabotages peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.
Lai made the remarks after China Coast Guard vessels sailed into disputed waters off the Senkaku Islands — known as the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台) in Taiwan — following a remark Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made regarding Taiwan.
Takaichi during a parliamentary session on Nov. 7 said that a “Taiwan contingency” involving a Chinese naval blockade could qualify as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, and trigger Tokyo’s deployment of its military for defense.
Photo: screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
Asked about the escalating tensions between Japan and China, Lai said that Beijing’s “hybrid coercion” against Japan has seriously disrupted peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The international community should continue to pay attention to the matter, he said.
Lai also urged China to restrain itself and act like a major power by keeping the rules-based international order to maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity, instead of being a “troublemaker.”
Asked about the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) criticism of Takaichi as being “reckless,” Lai told reporters that US Ambassador to Japan George Glass has publicly expressed his support, saying Takaichi’s remarks benefit not only US-Japan ties, but also regional peace and stability.
Politicians in Taiwan, particularly those in the opposition, should respect Japan’s internal affairs and be aware of regional developments, he said, adding that it is inappropriate to negatively interpret Japan’s political efforts.
Asked about China’s threats against Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋), Lai condemned Beijing’s transnational repression and attempts to interfere with Taiwan’s constitutional system.
Such violence is intolerable to the global community and democratic countries would certainly voice support for Shen, he said.
“That is why I urged Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to speak out to defend the legislature’s dignity and freedom of speech,” the president said.
“That is not to take advantage of Shen or use the issue to engage in political infighting. It is simply because Shen is a member of the legislature and one must adopt the right attitude” on the matter,” he said.
In response to Lai’s call, Han on Wednesday last week compared Taiwan’s national security to a table supported by “four legs,” which he said are “defending the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan), defending democracy and freedom, maintaining US-Taiwan ties and maintaining cross-strait ties.”
“Except for the US-Taiwan relationship, Lai had already broken the three other legs,” Han said at the time.
Lai yesterday said that he hoped Han realizes that Chinese transnational repression of any person living in Taiwan is a violation of ROC sovereignty.
China has continued to ramp up military coercion, infiltration campaigns and “united front” work against Taiwan over the past few years, he said.
Most countries think that it is China — rather than Taiwan — that is undermining cross-strait peace and stability, Lai said, adding that Beijing has seized every opportunity to play Taiwan off against the US by spreading a “US skepticism” narrative.
“It is China, instead of Taiwan, that has chopped off the four legs of Han’s table,” he added.
Han should not make excuses for aggressors, he said.
“Competition is inevitable, as we belong to different political parties, but we still belong to the same country and should unite to fight represssion by hostile, external political forces,” he said. “If we make excuses for Chinese cross-border repression today, that would give Beijing an excuse if it decides to launch an invasion against Taiwan.”
Additional reporting by Chiang Chih-hsiung
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS