China’s Response to Taiwan’s New Leader Inauguration Speech
China criticized the inauguration speech of Taiwan’s new leader, Lai Ching-te, as a “confession of Taiwan independence” and warned of taking countermeasures. Beijing expressed dissatisfaction over Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s congratulations to Taiwan on Lai’s swearing-in.
China’s Stance on Taiwan
- China considers Taiwan part of its territory
- Has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control
Labeling Lai Ching-te as a “Dangerous Separatist”
Beijing has labeled Lai as a “dangerous separatist” following his inauguration on Monday. In his speech, Lai emphasized the arrival of a glorious era of Taiwan’s democracy and praised citizens for defending democracy against external forces.
A statement from Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office described Lai’s speech as a confession of Taiwan independence and announced the intention to take countermeasures against the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for their provocations.
China’s Strong Response
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that Taiwan separatists will be remembered as a shameful part of history. The Foreign Ministry emphasized the Taiwan issue as a core interest and urged the United States to correct its stance.
International Reactions
Despite China’s objections, more than 40 countries, including Japan and Canada, sent delegations to Taiwan for the inauguration. Eight heads of state from countries recognizing Taiwan were also present, drawing strong condemnation from China for interfering in its internal affairs.