In a speech to the foreign press, the Taiwanese leader hailed 30 years of democracy on the island, starting with the 1996 elections. He urged the US to unfreeze the US$ 14 billion arms sale, which has already been approved by Congress. Opposition leader Cheng Li-wun, just back from a visit to the United States, said that Trump’s position on his return from Beijing is “fairly consistent” with that of her party.
Taipei (AsiaNews) – Taiwan is open to dialogue and cooperation with China on the basis of “parity and dignity”, provided the People’s Republic abandons its military expansionism in the Strait and surrounding seas, Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said yesterday, speaking at a reception for the international press corps in Taipei.
In his address, the Taiwanese leader noted that 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election, explaining that, despite missile threats from the mainland, the country completed the electoral process in 1996.
That event, he explained, sent a clear message to the world, namely that sovereignty belongs to the people and only Taiwan’s 23 million inhabitants can decide their own future.
Lai also reaffirmed Taiwan’s position on cross-Strait relations, stressing that “neither the Republic of China nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other, and Taiwan is not a part of the PRC.”
Looking back over the past three decades, Lai highlighted how Taiwan has continued to shape its future through democratic elections and peaceful transitions of power between different parties.
In his view, this path demonstrates that Taiwan’s democratic system is “irreversible”. In fact, the international community has recognised the country’s progress in areas such as democracy, freedom, global competitiveness, and economic growth.
The president went on to highlight Taiwan’s strategic role in the global economy, earning the trust of international partners through its contributions to global supply chains, advanced semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence applications, and information technology infrastructure.
For him, these successes demonstrate that openness to the world and a commitment to “democracy and freedom” have enabled Taiwan to achieve lasting prosperity.
Regarding the international situation, Lai welcomed signs of possible stabilisation in the Middle East and called for a swift end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Regarding the Indo-Pacific, the president thanked the G7 leaders who met recently in Evian, France, for reiterating their opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo and for rejecting the use of force or coercion in the Taiwan Strait.
Finally, Lai stated that Taiwan is ready to cooperate with the international community to maintain peace and stability in the Strait, but also expressed hope that the United States would unblock “as soon as possible” the US$ 14 billion arms sale, already approved by Congress but blocked by Trump, who considers it a “good negotiating chip” with Beijing.
Reiterating that Taiwan “rejects unification” with China, the president argued that the island’s efforts to defend its national security, preserve its democratic system, and oppose the Chinese Communist Party’s rule “should not be seen as a provocation against China or paint Taiwan as a troublemaker in the region.”
Lai Ching-te’s meeting with international media came the day after his main rival, Kuomintang leader Cheng Li-wun, returned from a trip to the United States.
According to Cheng, the US officials she met did not discuss the current or future progress of the “second wave of arms procurement.”
She noted that Trump, after his return from Beijing, reiterated his opposition to Taiwan’s independence and any US military involvement in a war sparked by independence claims. These positions, she explained, are “fairly consistent with the KMT’s position.”
At a press conference in Taipei, Cheng forcefully rejected reports that she had received a lukewarm welcome in the United States, denying that a meeting with the US National Security Council had been cancelled.
According to the Kuomintang leader, the trip went ahead according to the original plan.
Cheng also responded to some US observers who describe her as “charismatic but naive.” “I can only say that I am an idealist, but definitely not a dreamer,” she said.