(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivered a National Day speech in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei on Saturday (October 10). At the beginning of his speech titled "Taiwan, City on a Mountain, Salt of the Earth, Light of the World," he mentioned that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's direct presidential election, pointed out that Taiwan has experienced democratic transformation and political party rotation in the past 30 years, and said: "Now I am more convinced that freedom, democracy and economic development will not run counter to each other."
Lai then listed Taiwan's achievements in economic, sports and diplomatic participation over the past year, and emphasized that in an era of war, authoritarian expansion, and rapid changes in the global order, Taiwan should bravely and confidently build a "city on a hill." He explained: "The city on the top of the mountain is built on the mountains that protect the country. It is a beautiful achievement of democratic governance, allowing the people to live with peace of mind on a solid foundation." To this end, he announced that the government will launch a number of policies, including the payment of growth allowances for those aged 0 to 18 starting next year, the continued promotion of the "Million Rental Families Support Plan", the amendment of the "Foreign Professionals Recruitment and Employment Act", and the continued promotion of the "New Generation Anti-Drug Strategy Action Plan", etc.
Lai Qingde speaks to China
Regarding cross-Strait relations that are of concern to the outside world, Lai Ching-te said frankly: "We do not seek hegemony, nor do we seek to dominate others. We are well aware of the cost of conflict, so we choose to uphold peace as our own responsibility and be a trustworthy stabilizing force in the international community."
However, he reminded: "Peace cannot be based on wishes alone, and tolerance cannot be a reason for the aggressor to push forward. China continues to use military and gray zone operations to exert pressure in an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. In the face of authoritarian expansion, Taiwan's persistence is not only related to its own survival, but also to whether the international community still believes that force cannot override rules, and power cannot deprive the people of their right to determine the future."
After mentioning the national defense reform policy, Lai Qingde emphasized: "We increase defense investment not to provoke, but to deter war; when we strengthen self-defense, we do not give up dialogue, but to ensure that dialogue can be conducted on the basis of reciprocity and dignity."
Regarding the recent summit between the leaders of China and the United States, Lai Ching-te commented: "We are happy to see the United States and China manage competition through dialogue and reduce the risk of conflict and war. However, we must also point out that to maintain regional security, peace and stability, we must not only correctly understand the development of history and never allow distortion of the history of World War II, but also respect the right of the Taiwanese people to survive. We must also combine the common strength of democratic countries in the Indo-Pacific region to prevent the status quo of regional peace and stability from being changed."
Response from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council
Regarding the content of Lai Ching-te's "Double Ten" speech regarding cross-strait relations, Zhang Han, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, responded that Lai Ching-te's speech ignored the facts, confounded right and wrong, misled the public, and had ulterior motives. It was his "true performance" as a "pragmatic Taiwan independence worker."
Zhang Han went on to point out that Lai Qingde stubbornly held the separatist mentality of "Taiwan independence" in his speech, exaggerated the "mainland threat", advocated the false narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism", attempted to "use force to seek independence" and "rely on external forces to seek independence", incited cross-strait confrontation and undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The spokesperson finally said: "We will uphold the concept of 'Two sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family', deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, promote the peaceful development and integrated development of cross-Strait relations, and promote the great cause of the reunification of the motherland and the great cause of national rejuvenation."
Han Kuo-yu: Taiwan cannot be regarded as a "fake democracy or true dictatorship"
Before Lai Qingde's speech, the unscripted speech by Han Kuo-yu, chairman of the National Day Preparatory Committee and Legislative Yuan, also sparked discussion. Han Guoyu made three wishes: "National security, people's wealth, and long live democracy." He called on the people of Taiwan to fully defend and protect the Republic of China; protect democracy and freedom; maintain U.S.-Taiwan relations and maintain cross-strait peace. He said: "Whether we like it or not, we have the same culture and ethnicity on both sides. We have thousands of reasons to maintain cross-strait peace, and we have no reason to destroy peace."
In the second half of his speech, Han Kuo-yu bluntly stated that cracks have occurred in Taiwan's democracy, and described last year's general recall of opposition party legislators as not democracy but "a political hunt." He also pointed out that the crisis has reappeared this year because the Executive Yuan did not countersign the third reading of the law passed by the Legislative Yuan, the highest public opinion body. "In the future, teachers of the Constitution will not know how to teach it. Between teaching the executive, the president, and the legislation, this will become a negative teaching material."
Han Guoyu also emphasized that if Lai Qingde cannot resolve the current confrontation between the Legislative Yuan and the Executive Yuan, his reputation will be seriously harmed in the future. "Taiwan's democracy must not be regarded by the world as a fake democracy or a true dictatorship."
According to Taiwan Central Broadcasting Station, government officials said in response to the above statement that as the Speaker of the National Assembly, Han Hanyu used distorted information to attack the ruling party and the head of state at the National Day Convention, which symbolizes unity, which is "out of order and makes the world laugh."
The National Day flag-raising event of the Kuomintang moves to Kaohsiung for the first time
In addition, Cheng Li-wen, chairman of Taiwan’s opposition Chinese Kuomintang, did not attend the Taipei Double Ten Conference. The party moved the National Day flag-raising event to Kaohsiung for the first time this year.
Cheng Lai-wen said in her speech that the country is now facing a more critical test. Now the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are facing a confrontation, the war is fierce, and the international atmosphere is treacherous and changeable. "The Kuomintang must take responsibility to protect Taiwan's democracy, defend Taiwan's freedom, rule of law, prosperity and progress. The most important condition is peace. Once a war breaks out, everything will be in vain."
She also called on the people present to use their votes to rewrite the history of Kaohsiung again. "Don't let the future of Taiwan and Kaohsiung be kidnapped by the new trend and flip from Southern Taiwan by the end of the year."
