In a recent television interview on ‘The View with Catherine Chang’ marking his 100 days in office, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) questioned China’s motives for pursuing control over Taiwan. Lai argued that if China’s goal was truly about territorial integrity, they would focus on reclaiming land occupied by Russia, especially given Russia’s current weakened state.
The president’s comments have sparked discussions among overseas Chinese netizens. Many have praised Lai’s perspective, with some highlighting the quality of Taiwan’s leadership. Others have pointed out the complexities of China’s relationship with Russia, describing it as the ‘godfather’ figure of the Chinese Communist Party.
The interview has gained international attention. Former principal China policy adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State Miles Yu (余茂春) shared the full interview with a comment praising President Lai’s leadership.
However, not all reactions were positive. Some critics maintained that the cross-strait issue is a continuation of civil war. Others suggested that China lacks the current strength to reclaim Russian-occupied territories but may do so in the future.