On May 20th, the new President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te, delivered his inaugural speech. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) blocked related information online and reacted strongly to Lai’s statements on cross-strait relations. However, mainland Chinese individuals believe that what Lai Ching-te said is reasonable, highlighting the contrast with the aging officials of the CCP. Experts suggest that Lai Ching-te must have hit the nail on the head for the CCP to react so angrily, as civil society in mainland China indeed yearns for democracy and freedom.
In his speech titled “Building a New Taiwan of Democracy, Peace, and Prosperity,” Lai emphasized that the new government’s cross-strait policy will adhere to the “four principles,” maintaining a balanced stance without arrogance.
The four principles include: “Adherence to a constitutional system of freedom and democracy; the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China not subordinate to each other; sovereignty shall not be violated or annexed; and the future of the Republic of China (Taiwan) must follow the will of all Taiwanese people.”
Lai Ching-te urged the mainland to acknowledge the existence of the Republic of China and emphasized that any political party in Taiwan should oppose annexation, safeguard sovereignty, and not sacrifice national sovereignty for political power.
In his speech, Lai Ching-te mentioned “Taiwan” 79 times, “Republic of China” 9 times, and “Republic of China Taiwan” 3 times. Unlike previous inaugural speeches, Lai for the first time referred to the mainland authorities as “China.” He warned the people, “Even if we fully accept China’s (CCP) claims and give up sovereignty, China’s (CCP) attempt to annex Taiwan will not disappear.” He also stated, “Whether it’s the Republic of China, the Republic of China Taiwan, or Taiwan, these names used by ourselves or international friends to refer to our country are equally resonant.”
The CCP Taiwan Affairs Office harshly criticized Lai Ching-te as a so-called “Taiwan independence worker,” claiming “no tolerance, no appeasement.” Meanwhile, CCP Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attending the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kazakhstan, issued a statement reiterating the old “One China” policy.
On May 20th, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press conference that “Taiwan independence” is a “dead-end road” and separatism is “bound to fail.”
Researcher at the Cross-Strait Policy Association and Taiwan think tank consultant Wu Se commented to Epoch Times on May 21st that Lai Ching-te’s speech was very pragmatic and aligned with the current constitutional operation in Taiwan. He was not surprised by the CCP’s criticism, describing it as a cliched response to any Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) governance.
“The biggest issue lies in their (CCP) complete denial of the existence of the Republic of China. What Lai Ching-te mentioned, whether it’s from the concept of the Republic of China, Republic of China Taiwan, or Taiwan, is basically something that China (CCP) cannot accept.”
He believed many of Lai Ching-te’s points were consistent with past terminology. For instance, the “four principles” continue the Tsai Ing-wen administration’s policies, and the “four pillars” proposed by Lai were already mentioned by him months ago. The CCP’s strong reaction is mainly because they are generally dissatisfied whenever the DPP governs.
Regarding the portrayal of Taiwan as a national entity, it was not the first time Lai Ching-te discussed this. Wu Se mentioned that even Ma Ying-jeou during his 2012 presidential campaign stated that Taiwan is a sovereign independent nation. When he met then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a visit, he introduced himself as the president from Taiwan.
Wu Se agreed with Lai Ching-te’s affirmation of the names Republic of China, Republic of China Taiwan, or Taiwan, stating that it aligns with the mainstream Taiwanese people’s concept of national identity and is in accordance with the reality of Taiwan’s constitutional operation.
“Clearly, Lai Ching-te must have struck the right chord for the CCP to react so angrily and intensely criticize him.”
Taiwan officially entered the era of President Lai Ching-te on May 20th. Delegations from various countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia, as well as representatives from diplomatic allies, gathered to congratulate the new President, with global media covering the event extensively. However, the CCP described Lai Ching-te’s presidential inauguration speech as that of a regional leader in Taiwan, while censoring topics related to “Lai Ching-te” and “Tsai Ing-wen” on Weibo.
Outside the controlled CCP narrative, there are differing opinions among the public.
Mainland Chinese Mr. Li expressed that Lai Ching-te’s words were reasonable and logical, contrasting with the often unreasonable and authoritarian rhetoric of the CCP. He criticized the CCP for deceiving the people and hiding the true Taiwan.
Li mentioned that Taiwan has moved towards a democratic society with party alternation, while mainland China is under the rule of outdated and foolish leaders.
“It’s a stark contrast. Look at Lai Ching-te, articulate and youthful without needing to read from a script. On the other hand, their speech is unclear, often mispronounced, resembling elderly dementia. Lai was elected, and here it seems the same, with a declared 100% support rate. So, they are ashamed, not daring to let people know the real situation in Taiwan.”
Mainland Chinese Mr. Chen believed that Lai Ching-te is standing firm on his ideals, which he views positively, and he disregards the criticisms from the CCP, hoping that Taiwan will not trust the CCP’s regime.
He added that there is no need to worry about a war in the Taiwan Strait, as “It (CCP) is a paper tiger, impossible to fight.”
Consultant at the Taiwan think tank, Wu Se, mentioned that the Chinese people living under an authoritarian regime face many restrictions leading to such reactions, highlighting their anticipation for a democratic society.
He pointed out that Lai Ching-te’s speech underscored the differences between democracy and authoritarianism across the strait, a situation that the CCP is unwilling to accept or acknowledge.