Taiwan President Lai Ching-te vows to ‘resist annexation’ of island

“I will also maintain the commitment to resist the annexation or encroachment of our sovereignty,” Lai Ching-te said in a speech at Taipei’s presidential palace for the National Day.

Relations between Beijing and Taipei have been terrible since 2016 and the arrival as president of Taiwan of Tsai Ing-wen, then of her successor, Lai Ching-te, in May 2024. Beijing describes Lai Ching-te as a “separatist” and accused him Tuesday of fueling “hostilities,” according to its state media, after Lai Ching-te said it was “impossible” for China to be Taiwan’s “motherland.”

Beijing has intensified its military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years. He never gave up using military force to regain control. It has organized three series of large-scale maneuvers in the past two years, using its air force and navy to encircle the island. Beijing also sends warships and fighter jets to patrol around Taiwan almost daily.

According to a senior American official interviewed on Wednesday, China could use the Taiwanese celebrations on Thursday “as a pretext” to conduct military exercises.

Alert status

“Even if we have not observed any military activity or significant maneuvers following previous speeches on October 10 (for the national holiday, editor’s note), we are prepared that Beijing may choose to use them as a a pretext this year,” said this source to the press.

On Wednesday, a senior security official told AFP that Taiwan was on alert due to Chinese maneuvers nearby that had resulted in “several maritime deployments.”

Twenty-seven Chinese military planes and nine Chinese naval vessels were identified around the island in the space of 24 hours, from Wednesday to Thursday, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said on the morning of the National Day.

Celebrations mark 113^e anniversary of the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China. Foreign guests include three members of the United States Congress and senior officials from several of the 12 states that still maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei as a legitimate power since 1979, but remains Taiwan’s most powerful ally and its main arms supplier.

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