{
  "id": 13385779,
  "title": "Taiwanese leader welcomes talks between Washington and Beijing ‘to reduce risk of war’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/taiwanese-leader-welcomes-talks-between-washington-and-beijing-to-13385779",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T10:09:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3370442/taiwanese-leader-welcomes-talks-between-washington-and-beijing-reduce-risk-war"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te has welcomed discussions between the United States and China aimed at decreasing the likelihood of war. In his annual Double Tenth address, Lai also emphasized the need for democracies to collaborate in preserving regional tranquility and acknowledged the Taiwanese people's right to exist. However, Beijing denounced his comments, accusing him of \"inciting discord across the Taiwan Strait.\" Zhang Han, a spokesperson for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office, stated that Lai's speech \"mirrored the conduct of a 'pragmatic advocate for Taiwan's independence'\". Zhang also accused him of stubbornly adhering to a \"separatist mindset\" and exploiting the alleged \"threat from the mainland\". Beijing pledged to vigorously combat separatist forces, oppose interference from external entities, and ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, advocating for \"peaceful and integrated\" cross-strait relations and advancing the \"national reunification\" cause. On Saturday, Lai expressed his support for the US and China handling their rivalry through dialogue to mitigate the risk of conflict and war. Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met in Washington last month, with Xi urging Trump to exercise caution regarding the Taiwan issue and refrain from advocating for independence. Lai added that ensuring regional peace and stability necessitated rejecting WWII history distortions, recognizing Taiwan's right to exist, and joint endeavors by democracies in the Indo-Pacific region to uphold the status quo. During their meeting, Trump and Xi highlighted their countries' alliance during World War II, leading to criticism from Taipei, which claims it was the Republic of China government, not the People's Republic of China, that fought alongside the allies. Beijing considers such arguments as \"a betrayal of history\". Lai's address this year marked his third since assuming office in May 2024. Traditionally, the speech serves as a platform for the government in Taipei to outline its policies, and Beijing and the international community closely observe it for signals regarding cross-strait relations. Lai accused Beijing of persistently exerting pressure through military and grey zone actions to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, citing the \"expansion of authoritarianism\". He also underlined Taiwan's determination not only for its survival but also for the global community's belief that force cannot override rules and that powerful countries cannot deny people their right to determine their future. Lai warned of the challenges posed by \"red supply chains,\" referring to supply chains centered on mainland China. Lai reiterated that Taiwan would continue to bolster its defenses and develop a more self-reliant defense system through sectors such as semiconductors. In his previous address, Lai unveiled plans for a missile shield known as the \"T-Dome\" to counter escalating military pressure from Beijing and stated that Taiwan's defense spending would surpass 3% of its gross domestic product this year and reach 5% by 2030. This year, Lai stated that the increase in defense spending was not intended to provoke but to deter war. He also reiterated that Taiwan was open to dialogue with the mainland, but insisted that it must be conducted on equal and dignified terms. Beijing considers Taiwan as part of China and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification. It has intensified its pressure on the island since Lai, whom it views as a \"separatist\", took office and has since conducted several large-scale military exercises around the island, including one shortly after his first Double Tenth speech in October 2024. Most countries, including the United States, Taiwan's primary arms supplier and international supporter, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state. However, Washington is bound by law to arm Taiwan for self-defense and opposes any attempt to alter the status quo by force. Lai refrained from some of his more controversial remarks from previous addresses, including the assertion two years ago that Taiwan and the mainland \"are not subordinate to each other\". Zhu Songling, a professor at Beijing Union University's Institute of Taiwan Studies, said Lai's speech largely aligned with expectations, noting that he did not employ other provocative phrases. Zhu acknowledged that the broader US-China relationship significantly impacts the Taiwan issue. However, Zhu emphasized that Lai's pro-independence stance remained unchanged, and he increasingly frames Taiwan's security in international terms and links it to democratic values. The speech emphasized Taiwan's narrative of independence in terms of democracy and international engagement. Wang Kun-yi, head of the Taiwan International Strategic Study Society, stated that Lai had maintained a hard line with his accusations against the mainland. While the speech offered no new insights on cross-strait policy, it suggested that enhancing US-China relations could make Lai more cautious, Wang added.",
  "summary": "Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te has welcomed talks between Washington and Beijing aimed at reducing the risk of conflict. Lai’s annual Double Tenth address, marking the anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name, also called for democracies to work together to safeguard regional peace and for the Taiwanese people’s right to exist to be respected. But…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Taiwanese leader welcomes talks between Washington and Beijing ‘to reduce risk of war’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/taiwanese-leader-welcomes-talks-between-washington-and-beijing-to",
        "published": "2026-10-10T10:09:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}