16-8-2023 (TAIPEI) Taiwan Vice President William Lai has warned that any military action taken by China in response to his s-topovers in the United States would be seen as an attempt by Beijing to interfere in Taiwan’s elections. Lai made these remarks during his visit to Paraguay.
Taiwanese officials have expressed concerns that China may conduct military exercises this week, using Lai’s US stopovers as a pretext to intimidate voters ahead of next year’s election and instill a sense of fear regarding the possibility of war.
Lai, who has described himself as a pragmatic advocate for Taiwan’s independence, is currently the leading candidate for the presidency in the January elections.
While speaking to reporters in Paraguay on Tuesday (Aug 15), Lai emphasized that such transits through the US were routine and that China had no legitimate reason to use them as a basis for “verbally and militarily intimidating Taiwan.” According to Taiwan’s official Central News Agency, Lai stated, “If China uses these transits as an excuse to engage in verbal and military intimidation or other threatening tactics, it only confirms the reports by international media that China is attempting to intervene in Taiwan’s election through military threats.”
However, Lai expressed confidence in the Taiwanese people’s ability to withstand such pressures.
Taiwan’s defense ministry stated on Tuesday that it had not observed any large-scale Chinese maneuvers near the island.
In April, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan following President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to California, where she met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during her return from Central America.
China has criticized Lai’s stopover in New York and labeled him a separatist “troublemaker.” Both Taiwan and the United States have sought to keep Lai’s US stopovers low-key, and Lai confirmed that there were “no special arrangements” for meetings with US officials.
China considers Taiwan to be its most sensitive and important political and diplomatic issue, and it remains a constant source of tension between China and the United States.
Meanwhile, at a conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu remarked that “playing with fire on the Taiwan issue and attempting to ‘control China with Taiwan’ is bound to end in failure.”
Lai has been in Paraguay to attend the inauguration of its new president. Paraguay is one of only 13 countries that maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Lai shared pictures on his Facebook page showing him shaking hands and conversing with US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, as well as Spain’s King Felipe VI and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who were also present at the event.
China asserts that Taiwan has no right to establish independent diplomatic relations and has been actively trying to poach Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies. Honduras, which was once a staunch friend of Taipei, switched its allegiance to Beijing in March.
