Taiwan celebrates its National Day holiday against a background of Chinese threats

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan celebrated its National Day holiday Thursday against the background of threats from China, which claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory.

Thursday’s commemorations included military displays, but no heavy military equipment such as those seen in years past.

Addressing the threat from China, President Lai Ching-te took a firm but measured line while offering cooperation on areas from fighting infectious diseases to maintaining “regional peace and stability.”

“We hope that China will live up to the expectations of the international community, that it will apply its influence and work with other countries toward ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and end conflicts in the Middle East,” Lai said.

“And we hope that (China) will take up its international responsibilities and, along with Taiwan, contribute to the peace, security and prosperity of the region and the globe,” the president added.

The celebration marks the establishment of the Republic of China, which overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and relocated to Taiwan as Mao Zedong’s Communists swept to power on the mainland during a civil war in 1949. Taiwan was run under martial law until transitioning to full democracy in the 1980s and 1990s but maintains the original constitution brought from China and the ROC flag.

Lai took office in May, continuing the eight-year rule of the Democratic Progressive Party that rejects China’s demand that it recognize Taiwan is a part of China. The Nationalists adhere to a unification stance that recognizes both sides of the Taiwan Strait as a single nation.

Maintaining its military pressure on Taiwan, China's People's Liberation Army sent 15 planes across the median line in the Taiwan Strait, prompting Taiwan to scramble jets, dispatch ships and activate missile systems.

In response to such threats, Taiwan has ordered billions of dollars in fighter jets, tanks, missiles and various upgrades to existing gear from the U.S., while revitalizing its own defense industry with the production of submarines and other equipment aimed at deterring or fending off a Chinese attack.

At the same time, Taiwan faces economic threats from China ranging from a possible blockade of the trade-dependent island to an undermining of its financial system. China routinely states that Taiwan independence is a “dead end” and that annexation by Beijing is a historical inevitability.

Lai appeared to address such issues in his address, saying: “We must strengthen resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention and democracy.”

He also spoke of Taiwan’s technology achievements such as those driving the computer chips industry, calling it a “global force for prosperity and development," and praised athletes such as boxer Lin Yu-ting, who won gold at the Paris Olympics.

The U.S. has in recent years stepped up its support for the island. The Biden administration announced last month that it was sending $567 million in military aid to Taiwan.

That prompted Beijing to protest. “It must be stressed that arming Taiwan is to encourage Taiwan’s independence, and Taiwan independence means war," Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said Wednesday.

Lai also irked Beijing when he said the PRC is not Taiwan's motherland. The island has never been ruled by Beijing but retains the name of the defeated regime, the ROC.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, rejected Lai’s remarks, saying they could not alter “the fact that the two sides of the strait belong to the same China.”

The White House on Thursday urged Beijing to act with restraint. Lai’s speech was “a routine, domestic-focused address that has historically prompted little response from Beijing,” spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. “This year should be no different.”

An analysis of surveys conducted this summer by the Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs says the majority of Americans support several forms of assistance to Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait crisis.

Those include using the U.S. military to airlift food and medical supplies to Taiwan, imposing economic and diplomatic sanctions on China and sending additional arms and military supplies to the Taiwanese government.

However, only about a third of respondents supported sending U.S. troops to Taiwan to help in defense against a Chinese attack. U.S. and Chinese forces last clashed during the the bitter 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice.

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Associated Press reporter Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report.