Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (file photo)
Saturday 20 May 2023 / 09:46
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen confirmed today, Saturday, that war is not an option to change the current situation in the country, stressing that she will not succumb to Chinese pressure.
The Taiwanese president vowed to maintain the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait amid high tensions with China, which is ramping up military pressure on the democratically-ruled island.
Tsai said in a speech delivered at the presidential office in Taipei on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of her accession to power that Taiwan will not be provoked and will not succumb to Chinese pressure.
Since Tsai took power in 2016, China has intensified its military and diplomatic pressure to force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty, as Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and threatens to bring it under its control by force if necessary.
Beijing has rejected Tsai’s invitations for talks. Tsai has repeatedly vowed to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy.
“War is not an option. Neither side can unilaterally change the status quo by non-peaceful means. Maintaining the status quo of peace and stability is the consensus of the world and Taiwan,” Tsai said.
For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said yesterday that the leaders of the Group of Seven countries agreed to seek a peaceful solution to issues related to Taiwan.
Taiwan is preparing for important presidential elections in mid-January, and tensions with China are at the forefront of the election campaign.
And Washington announced Thursday that it had concluded trade talks with Taiwan to strengthen relations between the two economies, in the last stage before signing a trade agreement and less than a year after the launch of this initiative, which was strongly criticized by China.
China views with dismay the rapprochement that has occurred in recent years between the Taiwanese authorities and the United States.
The US-Taiwan Trade Initiative Looks to the 21st Century aims to boost trade by streamlining customs controls, improving regulatory procedures, and establishing anti-corruption measures between the United States and the island of Taiwan.
