Taiwan President Lai urges US-China dialogue to respect WWII history and Taiwan's right to exist

President William Lai, in his Double Ten National Day address, said Taiwan welcomes US-China dialogue to reduce conflict risk but insists it must respect World War II history and the Taiwanese people's right to exist. He highlighted Taiwan's increased defence spending and civilian defence efforts, a

Taiwan welcomes efforts by the US and China to reduce the risk of war through dialogue, but they must respect the historical record of World War II and the Taiwanese people’s right to exist, President William Lai said yesterday in his Double Ten National Day address.

Faced with sustained “gray zone” pressure from China, Taiwan has increased defence spending and worked to bolster society’s overall ability to defend itself by combining government and civilian capabilities, Lai said. Such efforts are not a provocation, but ensure dialogue can take place on the basis of “dignity and parity,” he said.

“We welcome the US and China managing their competition through dialogue and reducing the risk of conflict and war,” Lai said. “But we must also point out that maintaining regional security, peace and stability requires a correct understanding of how history has unfolded.” “There must be no tolerance for distorting the history of World War II. There must be respect for the right of the people of Taiwan to exist,” Lai added. “We are open to exchanges, but will not accept subordination.”

Taiwan is “going farther, step by step, with our diplomacy,” Lai said, citing his visit in May to Eswatini, Taiwan’s sole African ally, despite Chinese attempts to block the trip. China had pressured three African states to deny his chartered flight access to their airspace, causing a delay to his initial visit. He also cited Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s June visit to Palau, another ally of Taiwan, and her speech last month at the European Conference of Ventotene for Freedom and Democracy in Italy.

Taiwan has worked with international partners on healthcare, agriculture, energy, technology, education and sustainable development to meet their needs, and has improved lives through those efforts, Lai said. “‘Taiwan Can Help’ is not just a slogan. It is a commitment — our willingness to share our capabilities and shoulder responsibility,” he added.