Devendra Kumar
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has branded Taiwan’s presidential front-runner, William Lai, a “destroyer of peace” after he defended the island’s right to rule itself as a democracy during a televised debate on Saturday. Lai, who serves as Taiwan’s vice president with the governing Democratic People’s Party, stated that he is open to holding talks with Beijing “as long as there is equality and dignity on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.” However, he emphasized that Taiwan is not subordinate to China, and while he does not describe himself as seeking independence from Beijing, he maintains that Taiwan is already an independent country.
China has long regarded Taiwan as its own territory, and has been increasing its military presence in the Taiwan Strait in an attempt to achieve that goal by military force if necessary. Taiwan split from China amid civil war in 1949, and has since developed its own high-tech economy and democratic government. Challenging Beijing’s claim to sovereignty is a sensitive topic, and Lai’s statements during the debate have been met with strong opposition from China.
In a statement, Chen Binhua, spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, criticized Lai’s discourse as “full of confrontational thinking” and accused him of being the “instigator of a potential dangerous war in the Taiwan Strait.” Lai’s stance on independence for Taiwan has been met with applause from many on the island, but has also drawn criticism from some who believe that any mention of independence could spark a conflict with China.
The debate comes ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election on January 13, in which Lai is running against candidates Hou Yu-ih from the more China-friendly Kuomintang Party, and Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party. The outcome of the election is expected to have significant implications for Taiwan’s relationship with China, and the region’s stability. Lai’s determination to assert Taiwan’s independence and sovereignty has been met with defiance, but also with concern that his words may spark a response from China that could have serious consequences for the region.