Taiwan president 'won't yield an inch' in defense of island's territory

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Friday the land volition not cede an inch of its territory, arsenic China maintains subject unit connected Taipei to judge its assertion of sovereignty.

Lai made the remarks during a sojourn to the Kinmen islands disconnected China for the 75th day of a triumph implicit communist forces successful the Battle of Guningtou.

It followed a fortnight of aggravated subject enactment successful the Taiwan Strait -- the delicate waterway that separates China and Taiwan -- with troops from some sides holding drills.

"(We) volition not output an inch of crushed successful Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to firmly support our homeland," Lai said successful a speech, referring to the islands controlled by Taipei.

"The Battle of Guningtou lets america recognize that ideology and state should not beryllium taken for granted, but necessitate the associated efforts of generations to support them," Lai said.

Without naming China, Lai insisted that "any outer forces" would not beryllium allowed to alteration the aboriginal of the islands.

China's Communist Party has ne'er ruled antiauthoritarian Taiwan, but Beijing claims the land arsenic portion of its territory and has said it volition ne'er renounce the usage of unit to bring it nether its control.

Chinese overseas ministry spokesperson Lin Jian brushed speech Lai's comments, insisting that China and Taiwan "will and indispensable beryllium unified successful the end".

The quality betwixt Beijing and Taipei dates backmost to a civilian warfare betwixt Mao Zedong's communist fighters and Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces, which fled to Taiwan successful 1949 pursuing their defeat.

The nationalists scored a cardinal triumph implicit the communists successful the Battle of Guningtou connected the Kinmen islands.

Lai, who took powerfulness successful May and has been much outspoken than his predecessor successful defending Taiwan's sovereignty, earlier attended a somber ceremonial for the conflict and shook hands with veterans.

In his speech, Lai said Taiwan's "determination to support our nationalist sovereignty" and efforts "to support bid and stableness crossed the Taiwan Strait" were unchanged.

He repeated his anticipation that China and Taiwan volition "conduct dialog and exchanges with parity, dignity and successful a steadfast and orderly manner".

Beijing severed high-level communications with Taipei successful 2016 and has since ramped up subject and governmental unit connected the self-ruled island.

China's large-scale warfare games astir Taiwan connected October 14 were followed by live-fire drills adjacent the land connected Tuesday, and the transiting of a Chinese craft bearer radical done the Taiwan Strait a time later.

Taiwanese troops conducted live-fire drills connected Penghu land successful the waterway connected Thursday, days aft a US and a Canadian warship sailed done the constrictive passage.