'Oppose CCP and safeguard Taiwan' key to unity: Lai

Taipei, June 24 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday called on people who identify with the name "Taiwan" and those who choose to call the country by its official name, the Republic of China (ROC), to demonstrate unity by "opposing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)" and "safeguarding Taiwan."

"You're not a real advocate of the ROC if you don't oppose the CCP, and you're not a real advocate of Taiwan if you don't safeguard Taiwan," Lai said during a speech at the Kuva Chateau Hotel in Taoyuan.

The speech, centered on the theme of "unity," was Lai's second in his "10 Talks on the Country" speaking tour that will take the president to various cities and counties around Taiwan.

Lai cited as the premise of his remark the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Resolution on Ethnic Diversity and National Unity, ratified by the DPP National Congress on Sept. 26, 2004.

The resolution states that "supporters of the ROC identity and supporters of the Taiwanese identity should accept each other."

He further cited a mass rally held by YouTuber Pa Chiung (八炯) on April 19 on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei, which aimed to raise awareness about the CCP's attempts to annex Taiwan, shortly after three Chinese women married to Taiwanese had their residence permits revoked by Taiwanese authorities for making YouTube videos advocating the military takeover of Taiwan by China.

At the event, Lai said, people waving the ROC flags and those waving the Taiwan Independence flag were united under the banner of resisting the CCP's attempts to absorb Taiwan and upholding Taiwan's sovereignty.

Lai further referenced the "four commitments" proposed by former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) during her National Day address in 2021: the commitment to a free and democratic constitutional system, the commitment that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China should not be subordinate to each other, the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty, and the commitment that the future of the Republic of China (Taiwan) must be decided in accordance with the will of the Taiwanese people.

Lai said that a survey conducted by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council in November that year found the four commitments had the backing of around 80 percent of all Taiwanese people and therefore is the "common denominator."

"We must channel this public opinion representing 80 percent of the people, but how?" Lai asked.

"Through continuous elections and recall votes, through every single ballot cast," he said in what was apparently an indirect reference to the mass recall votes seeking to remove 24 Kuomintang lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) from office on July 26.

"Just like striking iron or forging a sword -- you must keep hammering to drive out all the impurities, until all that's left is an iron will to defend our sovereignty and safeguard our democracy," he said.