Lai's 'ten talks' a perilous push toward division

Along with the Taiwan authorities' campaign to hold a recall election for 24 opposition lawmakers in late July, island leader Lai Ching-te has rolled out his so-called "ten lectures on unity". But in a society marked by intense political polarization, escalating confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties, and deepening divisions, Lai's "ten talks" are not about unity but more about advancing his "Taiwan independence" agenda.

Behind his polished rhetoric are only lies and distortions.

First, Lai claims "Taiwan has always had its own independent ecosystem". This is a blatant lie, an attempt to rewrite history. Taiwan has been an integral part of China since ancient times. Chinese people settled and began developing Taiwan centuries ago, and formal governance structures were formed as early as the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties. In 1684, the central government of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) established the Taiwan prefecture, which it elevated to a full province in 1885. These are historical facts that refute Lai's fabricated "independence narrative".