Taiwan’s leader promises independence in national address

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Thursday promised his country that his administration would maintain what he said was Taiwan’s independence and peace in the Taiwan Strait, according to Taipei Times. The remarks come amid increasing Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region—and increasing threats against Taiwan specifically. Both the international community and Taiwan’s roughly 23 million residents shared a desire to see Taiwan’s democratic self-governance continue, Lai said.

What did China have to say about this? “There is but one China in the world,” Chinese government spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday. And no matter how hard Lai’s administration tried, they could not change the fact that Beijing was the real authority on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Mao added. Furthermore, the international community did not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, she said. Rather, world governments largely observed a one-China policy when dealing with Taiwan.

What has the United States had to say about this? Formally, the United States has observed a one-China policy when dealing with Taiwan since 1979, according to the Congressional Research Service. The service reported in May that the United States engaged in diplomatic relations with Taiwan through the American Institute in Taiwan, a private corporation that functions much like an embassy.

The United States has committed to providing Taiwan with the weaponry it needs to defend itself against foreign adversaries, according to the Congressional Research Service. Since 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden has insisted on four separate occasions that the United States would come to Taiwan’s aid if it’s attacked, according to the Congressional Research Service. However, the service added that the administration does not support Taiwanese independence and insists that the status quo be maintained.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about how Taiwan has increased the duration of its mandatory military service terms.