President William Lai has pledged to uphold Taiwan's self-governing status in his most high-profile public address since taking office earlier this year. In a thinly-veiled reference to China's claim over the island,

Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te has said he will stand against any attempt at annexation or encroachment into the island’s territory. China claims the self-ruled democracy as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goal of unification.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Thursday vowed to resist Chinese annexation of his self-governing island nation as Taiwan celebrated its 113th National Day, provoking a harsh response from Beijing.