Taiwan President Tsai says no room for compromise on island's democracy, freedom

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said there would be no room for compromise on the island’s democracy and freedom. Tsai also stressed that the island’s democratic government would continue to bolster the nation’s defenses.

Speaking on Taiwan’s national day, Tsai said Taiwan would never give up its way of life. The assurance comes amidst tensions in the region, as China claims the island as its territory, including the Taiwan Strait. Beijing has also increased its military activities close to Taiwan following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi back in August.

“During the past 73 years, the people of Taiwan have lived and grown together on this land, and have formed our own strong sense of identity and belonging,” Tsai told the thousands of people in attendance.

“The broadest consensus among the Taiwanese people and our various political parties is that we must defend our national sovereignty and our free and democratic way of life. On this point, we have no room for compromise.”

Tsai also expressed regret over China’s decision to escalate its pressure campaign that threatens peace and stability in the region. Any conflict over Taiwan could bring in not only the United States but also Japan and many other nations and would further undermine the world’s economy.

Tsai also compared the island’s situation with the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Taiwanese leader said that the military expansions by autocratic countries pose a challenge to the democratic world order. Tsai said that the “destruction” of the island nation’s democracy and freedom would “be a grave defeat for the world’s democracies.”

In September, the Taiwanese navy added a new locally-made amphibious warfare ship to its arsenal that would be used to land troops and boost supply lines to its vulnerable islands as part of Tsai’s efforts for the island to be self-sufficient in its defenses.

The latest addition is the 10,600-ton Yu Shan warfare ship, named after Taiwan’s tallest mountain. In her remarks, Tsai said the warfare ship was an example of the island nation’s efforts to boost the production of its own warships and ensure autonomy in national defense.