Lai welcomes largest gathering of IPAC in Taipei, Beijing slams it as ‘not credible’

Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te and some guests in Taipei, yesterday

Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te welcomed what he called the “largest-ever” delegation of foreign lawmakers to Taiwan and said yesterday it showed the importance of democracies uniting, even as Beijing pressured members of the delegation not to visit.

“This demonstrates the support and the value various other countries place on Taiwan,” Lai said. “It also sends an important message to democratic countries around the world. Maintaining democracy requires unity, and we must protect democracy together.”

Lai made his remarks at a conference in Taipei held by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group of hundreds of lawmakers from 35 countries concerned about how democracies approach Beijing.

Beijing sees Lai as a separatist and refuses to speak with him. China has ramped up pressure against the island since Lai took office in May, sending ships and planes on a large military drill to show displeasure at his inauguration. That comes after years of Beijing’s pressure on Taiwan — which has been ruled by the DPP for three terms now — on diplomatic, military and economic fronts.

Lai said at the conference that Taiwan would work with other democracies to protect democracy from “the threat of authoritarian expansionism.”

IPAC has long been despised by the Chinese government: Some members have been sanctioned by Beijing, and in 2021 the group was targeted by Chinese state-sponsored hackers, according to a U.S. indictment unsealed earlier this year.

In a written statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said IPAC “has no credibility at all” and repeated its stance that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory.

“China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between countries with diplomatic ties with China and the Taiwan authorities,” the statement said.

Lai, also known by his English name William, is reviled by Beijing for his staunch opposition to political unification with the mainland. Earlier in his career, Lai said he was a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence,” but has since softened his rhetoric, saying he supports maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

Top diplomats from the U.S., Japan, India and Australia met in Tokyo this week to discuss security issues in the Indo-Pacific region, shortly after the U.S. and Japan held their “2+2” security meeting Sunday, where they called China “the greatest strategic challenge.”

High on the agenda were Taiwan and cross-strait relations. Beijing’s escalating assertiveness in the South China Sea has triggered tensions with many neighbors, adding to fears of a confrontation.

Lai has vowed to continue maintaining stability with China while beefing up Taiwan’s security by importing military equipment, expanding its defense industry, and reinforcing regional partnerships with unofficial allies such as the U.S., Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

“We are willing to replace confrontation with dialogue and containment with exchanges under the principles of reciprocity and dignity,” Lai told participants. MDT/AP