TAIPEI –
Democracy is not a crime, according to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who emphasized that autocracy is the true “evil.” Lai’s statement comes in response to China’s recent threat to impose the death penalty for “diehard” Taiwan independence separatists. China’s aggression towards Taiwan, which it considers as its own territory, has intensified since Lai took office last month. Describing Lai as a “separatist,” China even conducted war games shortly after his inauguration.
In a further attempt to pressure Taiwan, China issued new legal guidelines on Friday to punish those who support the island’s formal independence. However, Chinese courts have no jurisdiction in Taiwan, which is governed democratically. Lai’s stance underlines the deep-rooted conflict between the two nations, with Taiwan advocating for democracy and China pushing for its autocratic rule.