Lai's speech will drag Taiwan into severe crisis

Editor's note: On June 22, Lai Ching-te, the Taiwan leader once again revealed the true nature of his political agenda in his so-called first "uniting the country" speech: division, deception, and deliberate provocation. Experts share their views with China Daily on the motives behind Lai's speech and the harmful impact on cross-Strait ties and regional peace. Excerpts follow:

Separatist rhetoric in 'democratic' disguise

Lai's speech was not a statement of democratic values, nor a sincere appeal to peace—it was a calculated piece of political theater designed to advance a separatist agenda under the guise of populism and "self-determination".

Lai's remarks were filled with distortions of history and blatant lies. He deliberately twisted and fragmented historical facts, attempting to fabricate a so-called "Taiwan identity" that denies the island's deep-rooted connection with the Chinese nation. This is not merely historical revisionism—it is historical vandalism.

Time and again, Lai has tried to erase undeniable facts: that Taiwan has been part of China since ancient times; that its indigenous peoples migrated from the mainland; that Zheng Chenggong reclaimed Taiwan from colonial rule; that the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) established formal governance over the island; and that Taiwan was returned to China after World War II. These are not abstract claims—they are documented truths recognized by both history and international law, including the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation.

Yet Lai disregards them all. In their place, he peddles a distorted narrative where colonial trauma is repackaged as "progress", where kinship with the mainland is portrayed as "infiltration", and where China's rise is twisted into a looming "threat". His version of democracy is nothing more than a mask for ideological manipulation.

What's worse, Lai's rhetoric is not just misleading—it is dangerous. By aggressively pushing for so-called "Taiwan independence", he is dragging Taiwan's 23 million people into the depths of confrontation. His actions threaten to sever cross-Strait ties, undermine regional peace, and destabilize the hard-won progress of the past decades.

He speaks of "maintaining the status quo", yet his every move—from expanding arms purchases to launching political purges and fueling impeachment battles—erodes that very status quo. His "peace" is armed; his "reforms" are purges; his "identity" is built on a house of contradictions.

The greatest flaw in Lai's separatist rhetoric is that it cannot stand up to reason, nor to the will of most Taiwan residents, who seek peace, stability, and prosperity. Lai is not defending democracy—he is holding it hostage. By turning "Taiwan independence" into a political weapon, he is using the island's future as collateral for short-term political gain.

History has shown that those who go against the tide will be swept away by it. Lai's reckless attempt to sever Taiwan from its roots and rewrite its identity will not succeed. The tide of reunification, supported by shared culture, common ancestry, and mutual benefit, cannot be stopped by empty slogans or political stunts.

In the end, Lai's speech was not a call for peace—it was a declaration of confrontation. It exposed not only the logical bankruptcy of "Taiwan independence", but also the moral void at the heart of his political vision. No matter how he tries to disguise it, Lai is leading Taiwan down a dangerous and lonely path—one that ends not in freedom, but in isolation.

Zhu Songling is a professor at the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Beijing Union University.