Taiwan President Lai Warns of Chinese Pressure

In his first National Day address, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te asserted that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, emphasizing his commitment to resist any annexation or violations of Taiwan's sovereignty. Lai's speech comes amid heightened military threats from Beijing, which recently conducted drills around the island and has shown deep distrust of Lai's presidency. He reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait while expressing a willingness to work with China on global issues like climate change. Lai's comments are likely to provoke a strong response from Beijing, which fears he may push for formal independence. The U.S. continues to support Taiwan, with President Biden affirming a commitment to defend the island against any aggression from China, further complicating the already tense relationship between Taipei and Beijing.