Lai reiterates 'status quo' at China-based Taiwanese event

Taichung, Feb. 24 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday reiterated his commitment to "maintaining the status quo" in cross-strait relations, at a Lunar New Year event in Taichung attended by China-based Taiwanese businesspeople.

"As you all do business in mainland China, I want to especially tell you this: from former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to me, both Democratic Progressive Party governments have hoped to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait," Lai said at the Straits Exchange Foundation's (SEF) annual event.

SEF is a semi-official body tasked by Taiwan's government with handling matters involving Taiwanese people in China and exchanges between the two sides.

Speaking to around 300 attendees, Lai described "maintaining the status quo" as "key" to safeguarding national security and preserving cross-strait stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific.

Compared with his speech at the same event last year, Lai this year did not mention the term Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, during his speech.

He used the term multiple times last year and reiterated the position that the ROC and the People's Republic of China (China's official name) are not subordinate to each other -- a stance Beijing has repeatedly rejected.

On defense, Lai's remarks were more limited this year, touching only on the special defense budget.

Last year, he spent more time outlining defense spending and military modernization as the first pillar of his "Four Pillars of Peace" approach.