Reuters, Taipei :
President Tsai Ing-wen vowed on Tuesday to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy amid growing pressure from giant neighbor China, using a National Day speech to warn that the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure.
China considers proudly democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Relations with Beijing have deteriorated sharply since Tsai, who leads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took office last year, with China suspecting she wants to push for the island’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing.
President Tsai Ing-wen vowed on Tuesday to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy amid growing pressure from giant neighbor China, using a National Day speech to warn that the self-ruled island would not bow to pressure.
China considers proudly democratic Taiwan to be a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Relations with Beijing have deteriorated sharply since Tsai, who leads the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took office last year, with China suspecting she wants to push for the island’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing.
