President Tsai Ing-wen has told the BBC in an interview that Taiwan deserves respect from China. The BBC interviewed Tsai after she was elected to a second term.
Tsai said that Taiwan does not have to declare independence because the country is already an independent nation. The BBC pointed out that China has long held that Taiwan is part of its territory and that it will use military force against the island if necessary. Tsai responded that Taiwan has its own sovereignty and that this sovereignty is non-negotiable.
Tsai said her winning a second term indicates that the Taiwanese people have no interest in the “One China, Two Systems” formula. She said that the ambiguity of the formula is no longer acceptable. She also said that violence in Hong Kong has made people realize that China’s threat is real and is getting more serious.
Tsai said that throughout her first term, Taiwan has insisted on maintaining the cross-strait status quo. She said this insistence is friendly gesture to Beijing. She also said that Taipei is open to dialogue with Beijing. However she said she is aware that her victory could well cause China to put more pressure on Taiwan.
Asked about Taiwan’s military preparedness, Tsai said the country is working hard to strengthen the capabilities of its armed forces. She said that if China were to invade Taiwan, China would have to pay a high price.