Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) called for international unity to prevent a Chinese invasion during an interview with Japan's NHK television on Thursday. Lai said that the international community should be prepared for the possibility of a Taiwan contingency, and the chances of that happening will grow if the world is not united. The interview was the first Lai has given to Japanese media since becoming his party’s nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
Lai also says that if elected he expects increased cooperation with Japan on tourism, trade and investment, and hydrogen energy development. Without mentioning specifics, he also says he hopes to see deeper cooperation with Japan on security. He says that even though Indo-Pacific security is a shared responsibility of the world, Taiwan and Japan play the most crucial roles due to their close proximity to China and to each other.
Regarding cross-strait negotiations, Lai says that Taiwan is open to engaging in dialogue with China, but it will not compromise its sovereignty in order to do so. He says that giving up on sovereignty would lead to the collapse of Taiwan’s democratic system, becoming like Hong Kong and Macau.
Lai says that in order for Taiwan's democracy to continue developing, and for future generations to enjoy freedom and human rights, he and his party must win in next year’s election.