President Lai said that as Taiwan faces headwinds from China and the United States, Taiwan’s future depends on its people.
Published May 20, 2026
Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-de said the country’s future should not be determined by “foreign powers” but was in the hands of its 23 million people.
Speaking on Wednesday’s second anniversary in office, Lai said his goals as president are to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, the 180-kilometre waterway that separates Taiwan from China, and to prevent “external forces” from altering the island’s political status quo.
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The president said he was ready to continue dialogue with the Chinese government, which cut off communications with Taipei in 2016, but only through “orderly exchanges” based on the principles of “equality and dignity.”
He also said Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community and not a “political party that undermines stability,” an apparent criticism of the Chinese government.
The China-Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday accused Lai of supporting “Taiwan independence” and inciting “cross-strait conflict” in his remarks to coincide with Lai’s anniversary.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the bureau, said Lai was “spreading secessionist false ideas” by using the “democracy versus authoritarianism” narrative to describe Taiwan-China relations.
Mr. Zhu also accused Mr. Lai of ignoring the well-being of the Taiwanese people in order to cater to “external forces attempting to ‘pursue independence through foreign aid’ or ‘pursue independence by force.'”
Lai has had a tumultuous 24 months as president, facing pressure from both inside and outside Taiwan, including from its traditional ally the United States.
The opposition-dominated parliament cut the special defense budget from $40 billion to $25 billion and unsuccessfully tried to impeach him this week over a dispute over tax revenue.
A poll conducted by news network TVBS earlier this month showed his approval rating at 38%, which is low but still better than the 32% approval rating he received in his first year in office.
His disapproval rating also fell from 55% to 44%.
Lai said on Wednesday that the government would take other measures to make up for Taiwan’s defense spending shortfall.
As president, Lai also had to contend with mounting pressure from China, which has conducted five military exercises around Taiwan since taking office in May 2024, and uncertainty from the United States, Taiwan’s longtime unofficial ally.
US President Donald Trump said last week that US arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a “very good bargaining chip” with Beijing.
Trump’s remarks came after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the Chinese leader called on Trump to take a stronger stance on Taiwan’s political status.
The United States has maintained a deliberately vague position on this issue for decades.
Lai was also forced to postpone a state visit to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, in April after several countries refused to allow him access to their airspace due to alleged Chinese pressure. He then traveled by a circuitous route aboard Eswatini’s King Mswati III’s private jet.
