President William Lai (賴清德) is not being provocative by “standing firm” on Taiwan’s self-defense, and labeling his actions as such absolves China of responsibility, Presidential Office spokesman Lii Wen (李問) wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Times published on Sunday.
“Standing firm on Taiwan’s self-defense against Beijing’s stated objective of annexation is not an act of provocation,” Lii said ahead of the anniversary of Lai’s first year in office on Tuesday.
China’s narrative that Taiwan’s defensive measures are escalatory is “misleading,” given Taiwan’s commitment to regional peace and China’s unprovoked aggressions, Lii wrote.
Photo courtesy of a reader via the Liberty Times
“Taiwan’s long-standing policy is to uphold the cross-strait status quo,” he said.
Lii defended Lai’s 17 strategies to combat Chinese espionage attempts, saying that they are “necessary institutional reforms” that do not touch on Taiwan’s international status.
For example, identifying China as a “foreign hostile force” is “hardly unprecedented,” he said.
“Many proposed reforms have been spurred by multiple espionage cases in Taiwan’s military and government,” Lii said, adding that since 2021, the number of prosecutions for espionage cases has tripled, and a majority of investigations center on active-duty or retired military personnel.
The incidents “highlight the need for Taiwan to engage in serious reflections about the shortcomings of its existing institutions,” with help from international partners, Lii said.
He called on the international community to avoid blaming Taiwan or saying the nation is “pushing the envelope,” adding that this mirrors “Beijing’s talking points.”
“Taiwan is committed to being a responsible stakeholder in the region ... neither engaging in provocations nor bowing to pressure,” he said.
Lai has reaffirmed the cross-strait “status quo,” made clear references to the Republic of China (Taiwan) and expressed a willingness to engage in cross-strait dialogue, Lii said.
“On the other hand, Beijing’s military provocations have not been limited to the Taiwan Strait, with large-scale drills across the entire western Pacific as far as waters near Australia,” he said, linking Taiwan’s security to regional peace.
“History has shown the world that appeasement invites aggression,” he said, adding that labeling Taiwan’s defensive actions as destabilizing absolves China of responsibility and fails to address its expansionist ambitions.
“To the people of Taiwan, surrendering our freedom is simply not an option,” Lii said.
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