Tsai calls on Beijing to work with Taipei in name of peace

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen yesterday called on Beijing to work with Taipei to find a “mutually agreeable arrangement” to uphold cross-strait peace and stability, saying military confrontation is not an option for the two sides.

However, in the same speech she pledged to increase the mass production of precision missiles and further develop the island’s asymmetric warfare strength, to deal with growing military threats from Beijing and a potential crossstrait conflict.

“I want to make clear to the Beijing authorities that armed confrontation is absolutely not an option for our two sides,” she said in a major address yesterday, on Taiwan’s Double Tenth Day, the 111th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, the island’s official name.

Noting that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was the basis for the development of crossstrait ties, Tsai said it was regrettable that Beijing had in recent years intensified its military threats, diplomatic pressure and trade obstructions in a bid to force the island to accept the mainland’s sovereignty.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning repeated the mainland’s position that the island was not an independent country.

“The cause of the current tensions in the Taiwan Strait lies in the Democratic Progressive Party authorities’ stubborn insistence on Taiwan independence and secession,” Mao said, referring to the island’s governing party.

“We are willing to create a broad space for peaceful reunification, but we will never leave any space for Taiwan independence and secession activities.”

The mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office also hit out at Tsai, saying she was continuing to advance the “two-state theory” and trying to use external forces to push for independence – something Beijing would never tolerate.

“Her speech … distorts the substance of cross-strait relations, exaggerates the threats from the mainland, sabotages cross-strait ties and endangers peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said.

Yesterday, Tsai also warned Beijing not to make any misjudgments about Taiwan’s democratic system.

“They must not mistake that there is room for compromise in the Taiwanese people’s commitment to democracy and freedom, and thus attempt to divide Taiwanese society by exploiting the fierce competition between our political parties,” she said.

She added that only by respecting the island’s system could there be a foundation for resuming to constructive interaction across the Taiwan Strait.

“We look forward to the gradual resumption of healthy and orderly cross-strait people-to-people exchanges after the loosening of border restrictions on both sides, thereby easing tensions in the Taiwan Strait,” she said.

Beijing has suspended official exchanges and interactions with Taipei since Tsai was elected president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle.

“Provided there is rationality, equality and mutual respect, we are willing to work with the Beijing authorities to find a mutually agreeable arrangement for upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This is our shared responsibility,” Tsai said.

However, she stressed that because of the intensification of Beijing’s military threats against Taipei in recent years, Taiwan must upgrade its defences and the combat readiness of its soldiers to ensure stability in the event of a mainland attack.

“Over the past few years, we have stepped up defence reform and increased our defence budget each year to strengthen our national defence capabilities and resilience,” she said.

“As part of this effort, we are ramping up the mass production of precision missiles and high-performance naval vessels. In addition, we are working to acquire various small, highly mobile precision weapons that will help us develop comprehensive asymmetric warfare capabilities, ensuring that Taiwan is fully prepared to respond to external military threats.”

Koh King Kee, president of the Centre for New Inclusive Asia, a private think tank in Malaysia, said Beijing might look more positively on Tsai’s calls to come to a “mutually agreeable arrangement”, with her remarks showing an adjustment – but not a softening – of her position.

“Tsai has felt the heat following Beijing’s military drills around the island in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit,” Koh said.

“Tsai may have also taken a cue from the Ukraine war and realised that Taiwan is just a chess piece in Washington’s global strategy to contain China.

“Prolonged cross-strait tensions do not benefit Taiwan as an island,” he said, adding that recent visits from American officials were an attempt “to gain political mileage”.

We are willing to work with … Beijing authorities to find a mutually agreeable arrangement

TAIWANESE PRESIDENT TSAI ING-WEN