Taiwan’s President Advocates for Unity Amid Rising Tensions with China

President Lai Ching-te's recent speaking tour seeks to unify Taiwan against perceived threats from China, but his approach has drawn criticism for potentially deepening political divisions and provoking Beijing.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has embarked on a nationwide speaking tour, which he claims is critical for cementing solidarity among the Taiwanese people in the face of growing threats from China. However, his critics argue that his rhetoric may deepen internal political fractures and spark retaliatory measures from the Chinese government.

Lai is confronting challenges on multiple fronts: the ever-assertive stance of China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out military action, and an opposition that dominates Taiwan’s legislative body and seeks to limit his government's initiatives.

In his ongoing “Ten Speeches on National Unity” campaign, Lai’s attempts to unify the nation appear to be exposing the splits he intends to heal. His addresses illuminate the widely divergent views on Taiwan's identity, interactions with China, and necessary security strategies.

To date, Lai has delivered three speeches, advocating the notion that Taiwan's history, culture, and democratic governance are fundamentally incompatible with the authoritarian regime in China. He conveyed in his latest address that China could erode the national identity of Taiwanese people by undermining their core values. “China exploits Taiwan’s good will and opportunities for exchanges to carry out united front work and infiltration,” he posited during a recent speech, which refers to China's attempts to shift narratives and align the island with its ideological agenda.

In his inaugural speech, Lai asserted that Taiwan's legacy as a standalone Pacific island is distinct from its historical connections to imperial China, famously stating that the People’s Republic of China, established by Mao Zedong in 1949, had never taken actual control of Taiwan. Emphasizing that Taiwan possesses its own government, military, and independent foreign policy, he stated firmly, “of course, Taiwan is a country.”