Taiwan President William Lai This Wednesday he expressed his gratitude to the United States for helping the island to strengthen its defensive capabilitieson the eve of the meeting in Beijing between the leaders of China and the United States, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, in which the situation in the self-governed territory could be addressed.
“I would like to thank the United States for helping us strengthen our defensive capabilities as part of its strong commitment to security”stated the island president in a video message addressed to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, without directly referring to the summit between Xi and Trump.
The Republican, who will arrive in the Asian giant this Wednesday, has already announced that he will debate during his visit the sale of weapons to Taiwan, an island governed autonomously since 1949 and considered by Beijing as an “inalienable part” of Chinese territory.
“I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi. President Xi would like us not to do it (sell weapons to Taiwan), and I’ll have that discussion.”Trump said Monday from the Oval Office.
The magnate made these statements despite the fact that the historical position of the United States, enshrined in the policy promoted since the presidency of Ronald Reagan in 1982 and known as the “six guarantees”, establishes that Washington will not consult with Beijing on its decisions on the sale of defensive weapons to Taiwan.
Taiwan as a “sovereign” and “independent nation”
Lai, branded an “independence supporter” and “troublemaker” by the Chinese authorities, also stressed in his video message that Democracy is Taiwan’s “most precious asset”adding that the Taiwanese people “know very well that democracy is earned, not granted.”
“Three decades ago, the Taiwanese people resolutely cast their vote, undeterred by the threat of Chinese missiles, and completed the first direct presidential election in our history,” Lai said of the 1996 election, which took place amid large-scale military exercises by China.
“Taiwanese people have never backed down from growing external challenges and will never submit to pressure. Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation (…). “No attempt to isolate Taiwan will alter our determination to participate in the international community,” the Taiwanese leader stressed.
The Chinese Government does not rule out the use of force to take over the administration of Taiwan, an island governed since 2016 by the Democratic Progressive Party (PDP), a formation with a sovereignist tendency.
For more than seven decades, The US is in the middle of disputes between both partiessince Washington is committed by law to providing Taiwan with the necessary means for its self-defense and, although it does not maintain diplomatic ties with the island, it could defend it in the event of a conflict with Beijing.
In addition to discussing arms sales, Xi could also use the summit with Trump to try to modify Washington’s official stance on Taiwan, either by pushing for a declaration of “opposition” to Taiwanese independence or by seeking language more favorable to China’s position on “reunification.”
