(Taipei) – Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Sunday that he is ready to work with China to achieve “mutual understanding” and “reconciliation,” two days after the end of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan.
During an event organized by the Democratic Progressive Party, his political party, Mr. Lai said his inauguration speech on Monday noted that “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential elements for global security and prosperity.”
He continued: “In this speech, I also called on China to jointly shoulder the important responsibility for regional stability with Taiwan.”
“I also look forward to promoting mutual understanding and reconciliation through exchanges and cooperation with China,” he added […] “And move toward a position of peace and common prosperity,” Mr. Lai said. He added, “Any country that raises waves in the Taiwan Strait and harms regional stability will not be accepted by the international community.”
Mr. Lai was inaugurated as President of Taiwan, on Monday, under the watchful eyes of Beijing, which considers the island one of its provinces, and which has not yet succeeded in reunifying its territories since the end of the Chinese Civil War and its arrival to Taiwan. Communist power on the continent in 1949.
Thus, China was dissatisfied with the inauguration speech of the new Taiwanese president.
Lai Ching Te particularly pointed out that “the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China (mainland China led by the Communist Party) are not subject to each other.”
Statements that Beijing considered separatist.
To show its opposition to these statements, which it considers separatist, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan for 48 hours on Thursday and Friday.
The “Joint Sword-2024A” exercise aims to send a signal of denunciation to the authorities of the island's territories claimed by Beijing.
On Sunday morning, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said that it had spotted seven Chinese aircraft, 14 combat ships and four Chinese Coast Guard ships “around” Taiwan during the past 24 hours.
The US representation in Taiwan announced on Sunday evening that Republican Congressman Michael McCaul will lead a visiting delegation to the island from Sunday to Thursday, “to discuss US-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade and investment.”
Taiwanese presidential spokesman Wen Lee said that the delegation will meet with Lai on Monday.
He added that the visit “is an expression of support for the new administration and the people of Taiwan through concrete actions.”
Since 2016, China has increased its military and political pressure on Taiwan. Its military ships, drones and fighter aircraft maintain an almost daily presence throughout the island.
