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Incoming Taiwan leader is open to Beijing dialogue ‘on equal footing’ with ‘mutual respect’: envoy
- Taipei’s de facto diplomatic envoy to the US under president-elect William Lai Ching-te also says most on the island ‘prefer the status quo’
- ‘We don’t want confrontations,’ he adds, while noting that Taiwan ‘will also not be bullied by a stronger force’
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Khushboo Razdanin Washington
Taipei’s de facto diplomatic envoy to the US on Tuesday emphasised that the incoming leader of the self-governing island is open to engaging with Beijing on the basis of “equal footing” and “mutual respect,” reaffirming support for the status quo.
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Discussing president-elect William Lai Ching-te’s approach towards Beijing, Alexander Tah-ray Yui told the Post that Taiwan’s next leader had “already mentioned during the campaign and after winning the election” his openness to dialogue.
Lai was “willing to have talks with Beijing, obviously … on equal footing and on the basis of mutual respect”, said Yui, who took up his post in Washington in December.
Lai’s inauguration is scheduled for May 20.
The new administration favours maintaining the status quo, Yui added, saying this was in keeping with sentiment on the island.
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