The Chinese government did not even mention Mr. Lai by name in their cautious response to Taiwan's election. An official from China's foreign ministry demands in a statement issued late on Saturday that the world accept the notion that there is only "one China," acknowledging the regime's claim to sovereignty over the self-governing island. "The Taiwan issue is an internal matter for China. The fundamental truth that there is only one China and that Taiwan is a part of it will not alter, regardless of what happens in Taiwan, the statement said.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has increased pressure on Taiwan in the lead-up to the crucial election by disseminating false material online and regularly dispatching warships and aircraft close to the island. Taiwan's defense ministry said on Saturday that it had seen eight Chinese planes and six Chinese warships circling the island as voters cast their votes.
Despite Mr. Lai's insistence on maintaining the "status quo" in cross-strait ties and his frequent pleas for peace, the CCP has advised against supporting him, claiming that his election might "trigger cross-strait confrontation and conflict."
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has increased pressure on Taiwan in the lead-up to the crucial election by disseminating false material online and regularly dispatching warships and aircraft close to the island. Taiwan's defense ministry said on Saturday that it had seen eight Chinese planes and six Chinese warships circling the island as voters cast their votes.
Despite Mr. Lai's insistence on maintaining the "status quo" in cross-strait ties and his frequent pleas for peace, the CCP has advised against supporting him, claiming that his election might "trigger cross-strait confrontation and conflict."
