President Lai Says Peace In Taiwan Strait Profits The Whole World

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. (Wikimedia Commons/Shufu Liu/Office of the President)

JAKARTA - President Lai Ching-te said on Friday peace in the Taiwan Strait benefits the whole world, with the international community believing, without it, there would be no prosperity or security.

Speaking to new recruits at a military base in central Taiwan's Taichung City, President Lai said every drop of their sweat was to protect Taiwan's security.

"The international community currently believes that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are the necessary components for global security and prosperity," he said.

"It doesn't matter whether it's the United States, Japan, South Korea or the European Union, and heads of state or prime ministers from many countries, they all agree on this point, against any country that uses violence to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait," President Lai added.

China, which views democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up pressure on President Lai, which it sees as "separatist", holding two-day war games around the island after he took office last month.

Over the past four years, the Chinese military has increased its activity on a large scale in the narrow strait, major international waterways for trade, and regularly flying warplanes there and operating warships.

Over the past week, Taiwan has reported detecting a total of 203 Chinese military aircraft operating nearby, approaching a distance of 31 nautical miles (57 km) to the island, according to details provided by Taiwan's Ministry of Defense.

Last week, China threatened to try those deemed to be supporters of Taiwan's "hard-headed" independence, and executed people in the most serious cases, prompting Taiwan to warn its citizens to avoid the country.

President Lai himself has repeatedly offered negotiations with China but has been rejected. He rejected Beijing's claim to sovereignty, saying only the Taiwanese could decide their future.

"All of our efforts are for the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait, for the safety of Taiwan, and a sustainable system of democracy, freedom, and economic development," he said.

"The peace in the Taiwan Strait benefits global peace," said President Lai.

It is known that Taiwan will hold Han Kuang's annual military exercise next month. This year's exercise will be made as close as possible to actual fighting, given what officials see as an increasing threat from the Bamboo Curtain country.