Cry from Taiwan, Lai admitted preparing for war — China wants the island by force, he alleges
Taiwan is moving to approve a supplementary defense budget of $1.25 trillion Taiwan dollars (approximately $40 billion), as Beijing accelerates its military preparations around the island, as stated by the country’s president, Lai Ching-te.
Lai mentioned that China has intensified military exercises and so-called “gray zone harassment” around Taiwan, with the ultimate goal—as he estimates—of taking the island by force by 2027. The statement comes amid recent diplomatic tension between China and Japan over the issue of Taiwan.
Lai also warned that Beijing has stepped up “infiltration and influence campaigns” on the island, utilizing a range of tools aimed at meddling in Taiwan’s political and social life, influencing public opinion, and undermining its democracy. At the same time, he spoke of an “unprecedented military build-up” by China, accompanied by increasingly intense provocations in the Taiwan Strait, as well as in the East and South China Seas and across the entire Indo-Pacific region.
What China is demanding
Beijing considers the democratically governed Taiwan to be part of its territory, while President Xi Jinping has characterized reunification with the mainland as “historically inevitable.” Taiwan rejects these claims.
In recent years, China has increased pressure on Taipei, conducting repeated military exercises near the island and strictly warning against “pro-independence provocations.” Lai pledged that Taiwan will strengthen its self-defense capabilities, seeking to achieve a high level of military readiness by 2027, in the face of growing threats from Beijing.
Escalation of tension
Diplomatic tension between China and Japan is escalating, with Beijing accusing Tokyo of interfering in its internal affairs, following statements by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who mentioned that any potential use of military force in Taiwan could be considered a “situation threatening the survival” of Japan. Beijing labeled the statements as “outrageous” and demanded their retraction.
US President Donald Trump had separate telephone conversations on the same day with Xi and Takaichi. Analysts estimate that Xi likely sought to pressure Trump to moderate Japan’s positions on the Strait issues.
Shortly before Lai’s speech, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China reiterated in a press conference that Beijing “firmly opposes any attempt to support Taiwan’s independence,” accusing Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party of undermining the island’s development prospects.
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Οι απόψεις που εκφράζονται στα σχόλια των άρθρων δεν απηχούν κατ’ ανάγκη τις απόψεις της ιστοσελίδας μας, το οποίο ως εκ τούτου δεν φέρει καμία ευθύνη. Για τα άρθρα που αναδημοσιεύονται εδώ με πηγή, ουδεμία ευθύνη εκ του νόμου φέρουμε καθώς απηχούν αποκλειστικά τις απόψεις των συντακτών τους και δεν δεσμεύουν καθ’ οιονδήποτε τρόπο την ιστοσελίδα.
