Beijing has accused Taiwan’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, of increasing tensions following his recent statements claiming that the People’s Republic of China cannot be considered Taiwan’s motherland. Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, asserted that Lai was attempting to mislead and intimidate the people of Taiwan, undermining their interests while obscuring his aims to incite separatism and damage cross-strait relations.
Zhu characterized Lai’s stance on Taiwanese independence as an outdated argument that reveals his persistent commitment to independence and his intention to escalate tensions and conflict.
Fight over motherland
On Saturday, Lai highlighted that the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, was established before the People’s Republic of China, which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. He stated that, given its age, it would be impossible for the People’s Republic of China to be the motherland of those from the Republic of China. He also suggested that the Republic of China might very well be considered the motherland for individuals over 75 years old in the People’s Republic.
The People’s Republic was established in 1949 after the Communist Party’s victory in the civil war, an event commemorated during the National Day celebrations on October 1. The defeated Kuomintang, or Nationalist forces, retreated to Taiwan, where they established an interim government under Chiang Kai-shek. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland, potentially by force.
Taiwan as an independent state
Most nations, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, though Washington opposes any forcible attempts to take the island and is legally obligated to provide arms for its defense.
On Thursday, Taiwan will commemorate the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, and Lai’s speech on that day will be closely scrutinized for its implications on cross-strait relations.
Lai’s inauguration speech in May, in which he stated that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, prompted a strong backlash from Beijing, which condemned it as a declaration of independence. Following this, the People’s Liberation Army conducted extensive drills around the island, which a military social media account described as “punishment” for “separatists.”
Relationship of Taiwan with the mainland
Beijing has consistently labeled Lai an “obstinate separatist” and expressed frustration over his efforts to redefine Taiwan’s relationship with the mainland. He has advocated for the idea of “mutual non-subordination,” framing Taiwan and the mainland as distinct entities to strengthen a unique Taiwanese identity.
In other addresses, Lai has minimized references to the mainland. During a speech in June commemorating the centenary of the Whampoa Military Academy, he made no mention of Chiang, who led the academy at its inception in Guangzhou. In an August speech recalling the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis—when the PLA shelled islands near the mainland—Lai remarked that the threats from China towards Taiwan are as significant as ever. While acknowledging Chiang’s ambitions to regain control of the mainland, he asserted that Taiwan would not seek to attack the mainland but also would not submit to Communist Party rule.
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