Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te, called on China to “open its arms, not raise its fists” as he concluded his first foreign visit since taking office in May.
The comments were made during a press conference on the island of Palau on December 6, responding to speculation that China might conduct military drills around Taiwan to oppose his visit to the Pacific region.
“No matter how many military exercises are held or how many warships and fighter jets are used to coerce neighboring countries, they will not be able to win the respect of any state,” he said.
These remarks came a day after China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced sanctions against 13 U.S. companies and six company leaders following the recent announcement of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 during the civil war, when the communists took control of Beijing and nationalists established a rival government in Taiwan, an island with 23 million people, located about 160 kilometers off China’s eastern coast.
China has long claimed that the self-governed island of Taiwan is part of its territory and that one day it will be brought under Beijing’s control.
Lai’s visit to the Pacific region included stops in Hawaii and Guam, both U.S. territories. He also visited the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, three of the 12 nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The rest of the world, including the United States, officially has diplomatic relations with China.
While in Guam, Lai held a phone conversation with leaders of the U.S. Congress in a demonstration of U.S. support for Taiwan, reports Radio Free Europe.
The Taiwanese president’s visits to the two U.S. territories angered China, which opposes U.S. arms sales and military aid to Taiwan.
