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TAIPEI: Taiwan wants to have a “meaningful dialogue” with China on an equal footing, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Saturday (October 10), extending an olive branch at a time of heightened military tension with Beijing, which demands the island as sovereign. Chinese territory.
Democratic Taiwan has come under increasing pressure from Beijing, which has increased air force activity near the island in recent weeks, including crossing the sensitive mid-line of the Taiwan Strait that normally serves as an unofficial buffer zone.
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China says it is responding to “collusion” between Washington and Taipei, outraged by growing US support for the island. Beijing sees this as a precursor to Taiwan’s formal declaration of independence, a red line for China.
Speaking at the National Day celebrations, Tsai described the situation in the Taiwan Strait as “quite tense.” This, along with disputes in the South China Sea, a border conflict between China and India and China’s crackdown in Hong Kong, showed that democracy and peace in the region face great challenges, he said.
If Beijing can listen to the voice of Taiwan and jointly facilitate reconciliation and peaceful dialogue, the regional tension can surely be resolved, he added.
“As long as the Beijing authorities are willing to resolve antagonisms and improve cross-strait relations, as long as parity and dignity are maintained, we are willing to work together to facilitate meaningful dialogue,” Tsai said.
There was no immediate reaction from China, which disrupted a mechanism of formal talks in 2016 after she first won office.
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Tsai said she was committed to maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait, but that this was the responsibility of both parties.
Still, he has made strengthening Taiwan’s armed forces a priority and said he would continue to push for this, upholding the principle of neither seeking war nor fear.
“Our commitment to our sovereignty and democratic values will not change, but we will also maintain strategic flexibility and respond to changes,” he said, without elaborating.
The United States has been pressuring Taiwan to modernize its military so that it can become a “porcupine,” difficult for China to attack. The United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei, although it is its strongest global sponsor.
