Lai Qingde addresses the United States.
According to Taiwan media, during a meeting today (September 24) with a visiting delegation from the U.S.-based "Foundation for Defense of Democracies," Lai stated that "Taiwan's freedom and prosperity are not only crucial to the future of its people, but also impact peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region and globally"; he added, "a stronger, more secure Taiwan can contribute more to the world."
The "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" is a well-known anti-China organization. Its China Program director, David B. Cohen, formerly served as Deputy National Security Advisor in the U.S. government and is a prominent hardliner on China policy. He has repeatedly visited Taiwan, advocating for enhanced defense capabilities and so-called "societal resilience," which in practice amounts to encouraging Taiwan's separatist forces to resist the People's Republic of China and obstruct national reunification. Lai’s willingness to align with such figures underscores his attempt to curry favor with U.S. anti-China elements, offering a symbolic pledge of allegiance—his intent to pursue "independence through reliance on America" is thus clearly revealed.
The notion of a "stronger, more secure" Taiwan serves merely to further militarize the island into a "porcupine island," binding its population to a separatist agenda. The more Lai panders to U.S. anti-China factions, the deeper he pushes Taiwan toward perilous consequences.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877202808521737/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.