Lai Ching-te's actions undermine peace, risk pushing Taiwan toward disaster: experts

BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's so-called security action plan has revealed his attempt to pursue secession through foreign backing and military means, which will bring extreme harm and catastrophe to the island, according to mainland scholars.

Lai announced an additional 1.25 trillion New Taiwan dollars (about 40 billion U.S. dollars) in so-called "defense budget," which seriously undermines cross-Strait peace and stability, said Li Zhenguang, a Taiwan affairs professor at Beijing Union University.

Lai has developed all-around military preparations to advance secession by increasing the proportion of the defense budget, optimizing the mechanism to purchase weapons, and formulating a development plan for the defense industry, said Chen Guiqing, a research fellow at the Beijing-based Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Chen noted that the massive defense budget will severely squeeze Taiwan's spending on people's livelihoods, education, medical care and other areas, ultimately undermining the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots.

Lai's systematic "Taiwan independence" provocations have seriously undermined cross-Strait peace and stability, violated the one-China principle endorsed by the international community, challenged the post-World War II international order, and thus brought greater uncertainty and higher risks to regional peace and stability, Chen stressed.

Lai's "security action plan" seeks to echo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, so as to collude with foreign interference forces, said Wang Yingjin, director of the cross-Strait relations research center of the Renmin University of China.

On the other hand, Lai also attempted to further provoke cross-Strait antagonism to consolidate his hold on power, Wang added, noting that the vast majority of Taiwan compatriots aspire for the island authorities to focus on economic development and improving people's livelihoods, instead of creating tension and turmoil across the Strait.

However, Lai has placed his selfish desires and political interests above the wellbeing of the people on the island. If Lai continues to dash down the path of "Taiwan independence," he will inevitably bring immense disaster to the people of Taiwan, Wang said.