Taiwan’s President Calls for Unity Against CCP’s Aggression
Udumbara
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Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, has urged the people of Taiwan to unite in the face of escalating aggression and pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), warning that Beijing’s multi-pronged infiltration and coercion threaten not only Taiwan’s sovereignty but also the foundation of its democracy.
Lai began his nationwide speech tour called “Ten Lectures to Unite the Country” on June 22.
Speaking in Taoyuan on June 24, he emphasized that the people of Taiwan can no longer afford internal divisions amid growing threats from the Chinese regime.
“If you’re unwilling to oppose the CCP, you’re not truly defending Taiwan or the Republic of China,” he told the crowd of hundreds of youth, local supporters, and civic groups.
The KMT and TPP recently formed the so-called blue-white coalition to obstruct Lai’s agenda to bolster Taiwan’s defensive capabilities and strengthen its alliance with the United States.
Lai’s tour was not aimed at supporting the July 26 recall election against 24 KMT legislators, but to encourage unity in standing up against the CCP and its political and social infiltration of Taiwan.
In his first lecture in New Taipei City, Lai reaffirmed that Taiwan is already a sovereign and independent nation that is “not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China,” and that its future must be decided solely by its 23 million people.
Uniting the People
The Republic of China (ROC) is Taiwan’s official name. The name was also used for mainland China before the CCP took control during the 1949 communist revolution, and founded the People’s Republic of China. Following its defeat, the KMT fled the mainland and established itself in Taiwan.In contemporary Taiwan, the younger generation increasingly identifies as Taiwanese, distancing themselves from any association with China. In contrast, the older generation, particularly those who fled the mainland, tends to identify with the ROC. Pro-independence groups promote a strong sense of Taiwanese identity, aiming to cut all ties with the mainland and fully decouple from the CCP. Meanwhile, those who favor maintaining friendly relations with China, including pro-communist KMT lawmakers, prefer the ROC nomenclature as it retains their Chinese identity and can be leveraged to advocate for future unification with the mainland.
Lai called for unity between the two groups to resist the CCP.
Touting Taiwan’s Achievements
Citing historical events such as the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis and Taiwan’s democratization, Lai described a nation that has survived through solidarity across ethnic, political, and generational lines.“In the 1958 shelling of Kinmen, the military and people of Taiwan, regardless of background, stood shoulder to shoulder,” he said. “That same unity carried us through martial law, presidential elections, and the peaceful transfer of power.”
The president linked Taiwan’s legacy to its current situation, highlighting the nation’s pandemic response as a contemporary example of national unity.
“COVID-19 was the greatest pandemic in a century, yet Taiwan’s response earned recognition from the international community,” Lai said.
“Our medical personnel stood bravely on the front lines, undeterred by hardship, while the government and the public worked together in unity to successfully contain the virus.
“This not only demonstrated Taiwan’s resilience but also led to economic growth against global trends.”
Taiwan’s economic record, he said, is further proof of the power of unity. Lai touted Taiwan’s current global stature as the 21st-largest economy and one of the freest and most democratic societies in Asia.
He said that Taiwan is a global leader in semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) server manufacturing, producing 90 percent of the world’s AI servers and more than 80 percent of chips under 3 nanometers, alongside its dominant roles in laptop production and fasteners.
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Warning Against CCP’s Aggression
Lai’s core message was a warning against the threats posed by the CCP to Taiwan’s freedom and sovereignty.He identified five specific tactics employed by the CCP to undermine Taiwan’s defenses from within. These tactics include asserting claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, infiltrating Taiwan’s military, diminishing the national identity of the Taiwanese people, engaging in political interference disguised as diplomatic exchanges, and conducting economic outreach aimed at Taiwan’s youth and private sector.
In the face of the CCP’s tactics, Lai reiterated his support of the “Four Commitments” first articulated by former President Tsai Ing-wen: preserving constitutional democracy, ensuring Taiwan and China are not subordinate to one another, safeguarding sovereignty, and allowing the people of Taiwan to decide their future.
Citing polls showing around 80 percent of the Taiwanese public supports those principles, Lai said that this supermajority represents the backbone of Taiwan’s democracy. He urged lawmakers, including his opponents, to find common ground in resisting Beijing’s attempts to undermine and divide Taiwan from within.
“The core value of democracy lies in achieving consensus despite differences,” he said.
Lai expressed reassurance from this month’s G7 Summit, which reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and rejected unilateral attempts to alter the status quo.
Lai is scheduled to give more speeches in the coming weeks, according to the president’s office, and is expected to give around two lectures every week on topics such as constitutional order, foreign policy, defense, cross-strait relations, and economic prosperity.
