Taiwan president says ‘impossible’ for mainland China to be the motherland

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te said it was “impossible” for mainland China to go the self-governing island’s motherland, claiming that Taiwan had older governmental roots.

“In presumption of age, it is perfectly intolerable for the People’s Republic of China to go the motherland of the Republic of China’s people,” Mr Lai said.

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) governs mainland China, whereas the Republic of China (ROC) administers Taiwan and respective smaller islands.

“On the contrary, the Republic of China whitethorn beryllium the motherland of the radical of the People’s Republic of China who are implicit 75 years old,” Mr Lai said.

In a code astatine a performance earlier Taiwan’s nationalist time celebrations connected 10 October, Mr Lai highlighted that the People’s Republic of China marked its 75th day connected 1 October, portion the Republic of China volition observe its 113th day soon after.

“One of the astir important meanings of these celebrations is that we indispensable retrieve that we are a sovereign and autarkic country,” the Taiwanese president said.

China considers Taiwan a portion of its territory and Chinese president Xi Jinping has threatened to “reunite” the land with the mainland by unit if necessary, portion the democratically-elected authorities of Taiwan says lone the island’s radical tin take their future.

Taiwan divided from the mainland successful 1949 pursuing a civil warfare after which the losing nationalist authorities fled to the island. Many countries recognise China’s “One China” argumentation which does not see Taiwan a sovereign entity.

In caller years, tensions person soared betwixt China and Taiwan, with Beijing conducting subject drills and ramping up governmental unit adjacent the land territory.

On Sunday, for instance, Taiwan’s ministry of nationalist defence (MND) reported that 4 Chinese subject craft and six naval vessels were detected operating astir the island.

While Beijing has vowed to instrumentality Taiwan, by unit if necessary, Mr Xi has besides promised to marque “utmost efforts” to bash truthful peacefully.

Mr Lai, who took bureau successful May, has besides warned that immoderate struggle successful the Taiwan Strait could person “a much profound economical interaction connected the satellite than the Russia-Ukraine warfare and Covid-19”.

Taiwan’s closest ally, the US, has besides warned that Beijing could wage an economical and cyber warfare to unit Taiwan’s surrender.

Recently, the Chinese premier reiterated successful a code connected the eve of the country’s nationalist time that Taiwan was its territory.

China has not yet commented connected the Taiwanese president’s remarks.