China’s manipulation of Taiwan’s democratic openness is the biggest threat to the island’s security, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, as she…
China’s manipulation of Taiwan’s democratic openness is the biggest threat to the island’s security, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, as she called on Beijing to seek peaceful means to solve their differences.
Relations between China and Taiwan have spent two years in the doldrums since the election of Tsai, who has refused to acknowledge Beijing’s stance that the island is part of “one China”.
Tsai’s comments came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to give a landmark speech on Taiwan. It will be closely watched on the island where many have been rattled by the Chinese leader’s increasingly muscular rhetoric.
Beijing still sees democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified by force if necessary, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949.
China has cut off official communication with Tsai’s government and stepped up military and diplomatic pressure.
