Lai's shameless display of hubris at cost of well-being of island's residents

Lai Ching-te, leader of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities on China's Taiwan island, delivered the fourth installment of his so-called 10 lectures on unity on Tuesday.

In the speech he mainly talked about the island's "defense". But the "defense" he talked about was against the Chinese mainland.

The "defense" Lai referred to is not rooted in genuine security or stability. It is a direct and inflammatory rejection of the island's cultural and historical connections with the mainland. While fearmongering about a so-called "threat" from the mainland — without acknowledging his own provocation as the main destabilizing force — Lai sidestepped a crucial question: How does this "defense" truly serve the well-being of Taiwan's residents?