Choose between peace and war, China tells Taiwan’s president-elect

ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday called on Taiwan’s President-elect William Lai Ching-te, set to be sworn in next week, to choose between peace and war, state media reported.

“It's peace, not war; development, not regression; interactions, not separation; and cooperation, not confrontation that represent the prevailing public sentiment in Taiwan society,” said Chen Binhua, spokesman of China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, commenting on Lai's possible inauguration speech on Monday.

The spokesman said Lai “must decide whether to heed the people's aspirations and pursue the path of peaceful development or deviate from public opinion.”

China considers Taiwan as its breakaway province, but the latter has insisted on its independence since 1949.

China flew 45 aircraft and sailed six naval vessels around Taiwan on Wednesday, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry.

About 26 of the Chinese aircraft crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait and entered the island nation's northern and southwestern air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Beijing recognizes neither the median line nor ADIZ.

Lai, 64, was elected in January to succeed Taiwan’s first woman president, Tsai Ing-wen.

China despises Tsai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which lost majority in the regional legislative assembly to opposition Kuomintang.

Lai currently serves as deputy of Tsai and has been called a “dangerous separatist” by Beijing for his words and actions which China deems anti-One-China policy.

Despite no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, engagements by the Western nations led by the US have increased in recent years, inviting sharp criticism from Beijing.