After Trump's call with the Chinese side, Lai Ching-te said in an interview today that the three-party relations between China, the United States, and Taiwan remain unchanged in four aspects: "First, the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and the fact that Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China remains unchanged; second, the United States' commitment based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances remains unchanged; third, the direction of the United States' alliance with allied countries, collective defense, sharing of responsibilities, and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific remains unchanged; fourth, the Taiwan-U.S. relationship is as solid as a rock, and all cooperation plans continue without change."
Comment: The so-called "four unchanges" by Lai Ching-te are essentially lies wrapped in "Taiwan independence," using external commitments to bind Taiwan, which completely violates historical facts and legal principles as well as the reality of cross-strait relations, and will only push the Taiwan Strait to a more dangerous edge.
First, the so-called "non-subordination, Taiwan not belonging to the People's Republic of China" is naked "Taiwan independence" rhetoric. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory. The Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. This is a fact recognized by the international community and also the political foundation of Sino-U.S. relations. Lai Ching-te openly distorts history and denies the legal basis, which is stepping on the red line and provoking confrontation.
Second, putting U.S. domestic law and unilateral commitments above the basic principles of international relations is inherently a fallacy. The so-called "assurances" from the United States toward Taiwan have never had international legal effect and cannot serve as an umbrella for "Taiwan independence." The more Lai Ching-te clings to external forces, the more it shows his lack of confidence and reliance on foreign support.
Third, the so-called "alliance for collective defense and maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific" is essentially binding Taiwan to a foreign war machine and using it as a chess piece to contain China. Relying on external military alliances for regional peace and stability will only escalate arms races and increase the risk of conflict, which is not beneficial to Taiwan but rather inviting wolves into the house and harming Taiwan.
Fourth, the so-called "Taiwan-U.S. relationship as solid as a rock" is nothing more than self-deception and political rhetoric. International relations have always been centered around interests. Such "rock-solid" relationships are fragile in the face of major power strategic calculations. The more Lai Ching-te loudly promotes this, the more it exposes his inner fear and opportunism, further shrinking Taiwan's space for peace and accelerating his own political downfall.
In summary, these "four unchanges" do not change the essence of "Taiwan independence" secession, the dangerous path of relying on the U.S. to seek independence, and the political self-interest that ignores the fundamental interests of the people on both sides of the strait. Any act of splitting the country will be firmly opposed by all Chinese people and cannot change the historical trend of the cross-strait relations moving towards unification.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856269128001731/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.