Overview

• During a Rotary International speech on June 22, Lai Ching-te asserted that Taiwan is “of course” a country backed by historical and legal evidence.
• China’s Taiwan Affairs Office called the address a “Taiwan independence” declaration full of historical and legal fallacies.
• Beijing has refused to engage with Lai since his May 2024 inauguration over his refusal to accept Taiwan as part of China.
• The People’s Liberation Army has intensified military pressure around the island, conducting war games and crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line.
• Lai plans nine more speeches on topics including national defense and cross-strait relations over the coming months, raising concerns of further tension.