Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by ‘external forces,’ president says

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan ’s future cannot ​be decided by “external ‌forces,” only by its ​own people, ​President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday. Lai faces pressure not only from China , which claims ​the self-ruling democracy of Taiwan as its territory and calls Lai a “separatist,” but ​also from the United States, traditionally the island’s most important supporter. After a summit in Beijing last week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping , U.S. ​President Donald Trump said he was undecided on further arms sales ​to Taiwan , which he said were a “good negotiating chip” with China and that he was “not looking to have somebody say, ‘Let’s go independent.” Speaking at the ​presidential office in Taipei, Lai said democracy is not ​a “gift that fell from the sky.” “Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by external ‌forces, ⁠nor can it be held hostage by fear, division or short-term interests. Taiwan’s future must be decided jointly by its 23 million people,” he said. Maintaining peace and stability ​across the ​Taiwan Strait and ⁠preventing “external forces” from changing the cross-strait status quo are Taiwan’s strategic objectives, Lai added. “Taiwan ​is a responsible member of the international ​community, not ⁠a party that undermines stability,” he said. Lai reiterated that Taiwan was willing, on the principles of parity and dignity, ⁠to ​engage in healthy and orderly exchanges ​with China, but rejected efforts that “package unification as peace.” In Beijing, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said Wednesday that Lai cannot stop the “historical trend that the motherland will ultimately be reunified.” China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, though it says it would prefer “peaceful reunification.”