Taiwan is set to hold its local elections in the coming weeks, with President Tsai Ing-wen issuing a sharp rebuke to China in the midst of tensions in the region. Tsai said that her mission in life was to ensure that the island belonged to its people and not to Beijing.
In a rally for Tsai’s governing Democratic Progressive Party, Tsai vowed to make sure that Taiwan belonged to the Taiwanese people and not under Beijing’s sovereignty. Tsai also said that she rejected China’s “one country two systems” proposal and that under her leadership, more countries are recognizing Taiwan’s democracy and security as important for peace.
“I want to tell everyone that the existence of Taiwan and Taiwanese people’s insistence on freedom and democracy are not a provocation to anyone,” said Tsai. “As president, my calling is to make every effort to let Taiwan still be the Taiwan of the Taiwanese people.”
Tsai’s remarks come ahead of the November 26 elections, and a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping secured a precedent-breaking third term as the country’s leader. China has since increased its pressure campaign on Taiwan and its democratic government to submit to Beijing’s sovereignty.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which traditionally favors having good relations with China, has been dogged by accusations that the party would sell out Taiwan to China should it win. However, the KMT has denied the allegations, with its chairman Eric Chu saying that the party’s mission was also to protect Taiwan’s freedom and democracy.
“The most important goal is that everyone can have a peaceful and stable future,” said Chu.
The island’s presidential office said Monday that it will not compromise on its sovereignty, following the meeting between Xi and US President Joe Biden at the recent East Asia Summit. The office said that maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is the shared responsibility of both Taiwan and China, and “meeting on the battlefield” was not an option.
Taiwan has repeatedly rejected China’s assertion that the island is its territory, saying that only its people can decide its future and protect its freedom and democratic way of life.