Taiwan Will Not Be Intimidated by China’s Authoritarian Expansion: Taiwanese President

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan President Lai Ching-te called on democratic countries to team up and take “concrete” steps to confront the Chinese regime’s authoritarian expansion. “China’s growing authoritarianism will not stop with Taiwan; nor is Taiwan the only target of China’s economic pressures,” Lai said in a speech on Aug. 21 at the Ketagalan Forum, an annual security event hosted by Taiwan’s foreign ministry. “China intends to change the rules-based international order,” Lai continued. “That is why democratic countries must come together and take concrete action. Only by working together can we inhibit the expansion of authoritarianism.” Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated in recent months, mainly after Lai took office in May. His election victory in January ushered in an unprecedented third consecutive term for the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP), which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has labeled as a “separatist force” that defies the regime’s call for “reunification” with the self-ruled island....