President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday called on China to resume official dialogue with Taiwan. She said that since her inaugural address in May, she has shown a high level of goodwill toward Beijing.
Tsai’s call came during an international conference in Taipei on the South China Sea dispute and Asia-Pacific regional peace. She said that her commitment toward cross-Taiwan Strait relations remains unchanged.
It’s thought that Tsai’s comments, two days before national day, appear to indicate that she is unlikely to break new ground on her position toward cross-Taiwan Strait relations during her address to the nation.
Tsai said her administration will not succumb to pressure from Beijing, but it also will not revert to confrontation.
The president said Taiwan is a democratic society, and maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is not her choice alone. She said it is the choice of the 23 million people of Taiwan.