TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan President Lai Ching-te mentioned Wednesday that he welcomed equal, dignified, wholesome and orderly exchanges with China, however questioned whether or not there was goodwill from Beijing given what he mentioned was their blocking of easy issues like tourism.
Lai, who took workplace in May, has repeatedly supplied talks with China however been rebuffed. China views democratically ruled Taiwan as its personal territory and detests Lai as a “separatist.”
He says solely Taiwan’s individuals can determine their future.
Speaking at a New Year’s Day information convention, Lai mentioned China was blocking regular interactions with restrictions on Chinese vacationers visiting or college students learning on the island, whereas related bans don’t apply to Taiwanese going to China.
“But I nonetheless wish to stress this: Taiwan hopes to have wholesome and orderly exchanges with China beneath the rules of reciprocity and dignity,” he mentioned.
Journalists ought to ask China why its residents can freely journey to international locations just like the United States and Japan, however has all these controls in terms of Taiwan, Lai added.
“Is this actually exhibiting goodwill in direction of Taiwan? Can’t they deal with everybody equally?”
Taiwan and China have repeatedly traded accusations about tourism and journey restrictions. In June, Taiwan instructed its residents to not go to China until completely mandatory, following a menace from Beijing to execute these deemed “diehard” Taiwan independence supporters.
Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned in his New Year’s speech on Tuesday that nobody can cease China’s “reunification” with Taiwan.
China’s army operates round Taiwan each day, and final 12 months staged two rounds of battle video games close to the island.
Lai mentioned that the better the menace from authoritarian international locations the extra democracies ought to unite, and pointed to China and Russia’s militaries working collectively within the Indo-Pacific.
The cooperation between democracies wanted to be on protection and safety and strengthening the “democratic provide chain,” he mentioned.
“If that’s not accomplished correctly, it’ll impression economies and industries for all international locations, and the lives of individuals in democracies,” Lai mentioned.
“I actually hope that within the New Year, democratic international locations could be much more united, and obtain the goals of peace, democracy and prosperity.”