'Taiwan will not bow to Chinese pressure' says President Tsai Ing-wen on National Day

Taiwan will not bow to Chinese pressure and will defend its democracy, President Tsai Ing-wen said as 23 million people marked the island’s National Day on Sunday. Addressing an enthusiastic crowd in capital Taipei, the democratically elected leader asserted that Taiwan will continue to bolster its defence and will never take the “path suggested by China”. Notably, her remarks came at the end of a week that marked heightened tension between the two sides following what is being deemed as the largest Chinese incursions in Taiwanese airspace. 

“Taiwan will not act rashly but there should be absolutely no illusion that Taiwanese people will bow to pressure,” Tsai said adding that the country would “continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us.” Lambasting Beijing, she further added, “This is because the path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people.”

Buttressing her stance further, the Taiwanese President said that despite 72 years of progress and transformation, the country’s resolve for sovereignty remains intact. “Taiwan is no longer seen as the orphan of Asia but as an island of resilience. Our military’s dedication to protecting our nation and our understanding of why we fight is rooted in that conviction, passed down through generation after generation," she added. 

The Chinese Claim 

China claims sovereign rights over the pacific island located roughly 100 miles from its coast and has been using carrots and sticks to make its democratically elected government surrender. Speaking at the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on 1 July, President Xi Jinping vowed for complete reunification of the motherland, fuelling fears of a possible annexation of the pacific island by Beijing.

Taipei, on the other hand, has reiterated that it was an independent entity. The US, meanwhile, has reacted to Beijing's pressure campaign with testy words and hardline policies - prompting its ally Japan, which has key trade relationships with both world powers, to eye the situation with caution.

Image: AP