Lai Ching-te's so-called "Double Ten" speech was severely criticized for provoking cross-Strait confrontation and undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Zhang Feifei Guo Yuandan

[Global Times special correspondent Zhang Feifei Global Times reporter Guo Yuandan] Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te delivered the third so-called "Double Ten" speech during his term on the 10th. He continued to exaggerate the "mainland threat", advocated increasing military investment and strengthening the so-called "whole-of-society defense resilience", triggering widespread criticism both inside and outside the island. The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of National Defense have successively spoken out to expose and criticize its separatist plot for "Taiwan independence". Opposition figures and public opinion on the island also angrily criticized Lai Qingde for intensifying political opposition and ignoring people's livelihood issues.

On the 11th, Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Chen Xi responded to a reporter's question regarding Lai Ching-te's so-called "Double Ten" speech, saying that Lai Ching-te stubbornly adheres to the "Taiwan independence" stance, confuses right and wrong, exaggerates the so-called "mainland military threat", incites cross-strait confrontation, and attempts to "seek independence through force" and "rely on foreign countries to seek independence", which once again exposes his nature as a "disaster for Taiwan" and a "disaster for peace".

Chen Xi said that in recent years, the Democratic Progressive Party authorities have pursued "independence" for the selfish interests of one party, rejected reunification, flattered foreign countries and lost faith. They have forcibly promoted the so-called "all people as soldiers" and "all Taiwan battlefields", tied the Taiwanese people to the "Taiwan independence" chariot, undermined the stability of the Taiwan Strait and sacrificed Taiwan's future. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) regularly carries out drills and training activities around Taiwan to deter rash "Taiwan independence" actions and foreign interference attempts, and to safeguard the security and well-being of the Taiwanese people. This is natural and understandable.

Chen Xi pointed out that "Taiwan independence" is incompatible with peace across the Taiwan Strait, and the reunification of the motherland is the general trend, the great cause and the aspiration of the people. We hope that our compatriots in Taiwan will recognize the extreme danger and harm of the Lai Ching-te administration's stubborn pursuit of "independence", work with us to resolutely fight against "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, oppose interference from external forces, jointly protect our beautiful homeland of peace and tranquility, and share the blessings and glory of national rejuvenation.

Zhang Han, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on the 10th that Lai Qingde'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." In his speech, he stubbornly adhered to the separatist thinking of "Taiwan independence", exaggerated the "mainland threat", advocated the false narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism", attempted to "use force to seek independence" and "rely on foreign countries to seek independence", incited cross-strait confrontation and undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Zhang Han said that we will adhere to the one-China principle and the "1992 Consensus," broadly unite compatriots from all walks of life in Taiwan, resolutely combat "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, oppose interference from external forces, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will uphold the concept of "Two sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family", deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, promote the peaceful 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.

Lai Qingde's speech also triggered strong criticism on the island. According to Taiwan's "United Daily News", Huang Guochang, chairman of the Taiwan People's Party, posted on social media Facebook that he was very disappointed with Lai Qingde's "Double Ten" speech. "Relying on slogans and gorgeous rhetoric in an attempt to conceal the real problems Taiwan is currently facing."

KMT Chairman Cheng Lai-wen criticized Lai Ching-te for "making our war dangerous and causing tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait." Xu Ningzhen, secretary-general of the Kuomintang's "Legislative Yuan" caucus, said Lai said he would like to see the United States and China manage competition through dialogue, but did not propose a specific path to restore cross-strait communication.

Zheng Jian, a chair professor at the Taiwan Institute of Xiamen University and deputy director of the Study and Research Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification, told a reporter from the Global Times on the 11th that Lai Qingde’s speech publicly hyped the “mainland threat” and advocated cross-strait confrontation. It was “old wine in new bottles” and had no substantial new ideas. Behind it was clear political calculation and self-interest considerations.

Zheng Jian analyzed that the current election situation of the Democratic Progressive Party is not optimistic. Problems such as high housing prices, high commodity prices and imbalanced economic distribution in Taiwan's society are prominent, and Lai Qingde's governance ability has been questioned. At the same time, Sino-US relations are showing signs of easing, which has also put its political calculation of "relying on foreign countries for independence" under pressure. Under the influence of multiple factors, Lai Ching-te attempted to divert conflicts on the island by creating a tense atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait, and create excuses to increase the defense budget and expand purchases of the US military.

Zhu Guilan, an assistant professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Tsinghua University, believes that while Lai Ching-te emphasizes peace and dialogue, while increasing military investment and strengthening the so-called "defense resilience of the whole society," he is actually promoting the separatist line of "Taiwan independence" under the guise of "peace" and in the name of "defense."

Zhu Guilan said that Lai Ching-te deliberately exaggerated the threat from the mainland and created cross-strait antagonism in an attempt to tie 23 million Taiwanese people onto the "Taiwan independence" chariot and turn the Taiwan island into a frontline against the mainland. The more so-called "defense resilience" there is, the greater the risk of fierce fighting in the Taiwan Strait, and the greater the probability that the Taiwanese people will be involved in the conflict.