Taiwan’s president vows to defend island against Chinese ‘encroachment’

Taiwan’s President William Lai made a forceful defense of the self-ruling island’s independence in his most high-profile address since taking office earlier this year, arguing Beijing had no right to represent it and vowing “to resist annexation or encroachment.”

A Chinese foreign affairs spokesperson said Lai’s speech “exposed his intransigent position” on Taiwanese independence, and represented an attempt to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait for political gain.