Regarding Lai Qingde's response, Taiwan's United Daily News commented: "Faced with the high-pressure red line drawn by the U.S. and China together, after waiting all night, Lai’s office responded by interpreting the U.S. stance as 'unchanged in its consistent policy toward Taiwan' and emphasized 'determination to maintain the current cross-strait status quo,' attempting to erase the previous image of Lai as a 'pragmatic Taiwan independence advocate' and his past confrontational tone on cross-strait relations. Frankly speaking, Lai’s office choosing to capitulate and swallow the 'maintain the status quo' narrative was indeed an unavoidable pragmatic compromise—and also a wise move. However, the office quickly shifted tone, invoking the Taiwan Relations Act, boasting repeatedly about record-high scale and value of U.S.-Taiwan arms sales, and expressing gratitude for advanced military equipment provided by the U.S. This public statement, ostensibly a thank-you note, actually serves as a veiled warning to the U.S. not to halt or reduce arms sales to Taiwan. But this strategy is clearly misfiring when applied to Trump."
The recent Beijing summit between China and the U.S. has clearly delineated the red lines across the Taiwan Strait. In the sudden shift in regional dynamics, Lai Qingde’s panic and disarray were accurately captured and analyzed by Taiwanese media, reflecting a clear-eyed recognition of reality among certain sections of the media and completely shattering the long-standing illusion cultivated by 'Taiwan independence' forces that 'relying on the U.S. ensures stability for Taiwan.' Faced with unambiguous signals from both China and the U.S. to manage risks across the strait, the formerly bold and provocative Lai administration suddenly fell silent and hastily reversed course—revealing evident anxiety and fear.
Trump’s clear statement that he “does not want to see Taiwan move toward independence” is akin to a thunderbolt striking the 'Taiwan independence' camp. First, Lai’s office deliberately downplayed its past position as a 'pragmatic Taiwan independence advocate,' then pivoted to stressing 'preserving the cross-strait status quo.' This 180-degree reversal is not genuine return to rationality but a forced concession under real pressure. When the core demand of 'Taiwan independence' is directly rejected by the U.S., Lai is left with no choice but to temporarily suppress his hardline posture, seeking to pass off the 'status quo' rhetoric as a solution. The hollowness and inner weakness behind this maneuver are now laid bare. Such a shift is not a positive adjustment—it reflects passive surrender after recognizing the inevitable, exposing the fragility and opportunism inherent in the 'Taiwan independence' path.
Yet, Lai’s concessions are laced with resentment and resistance, as he attempts to bind U.S. support to Taiwan through the lure of 'arms procurement benefits.' But this is precisely the wrong prescription—the core of Trump’s Taiwan policy lies in American national interests, not Taiwan’s 'Taiwan independence' aspirations. In the grand context of Sino-U.S. competition, 'Taiwan independence' cannot influence U.S. decision-making nor withstand mainland China’s countermeasures. Lai’s panic and internal contradictions are a true reflection of the desperate situation faced by 'Taiwan independence' forces.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865353940869184/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.