Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said U.S. President Donald Trump would deserve the Nobel Peace Prize if he could convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan.
Speaking in an interview on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, a conservative U.S. talk radio program carried on more than 400 stations, Lai praised Washington’s support for Taipei and urged Trump to remain vigilant toward Beijing’s military ambitions.
“We hope to continue receiving President Trump’s support. Should President Trump persuade Xi Jinping to permanently abandon any military aggression against Taiwan, President Trump would undoubtedly be a Nobel Peace Prize laureate,” Lai said, referencing Trump’s earlier remarks in August that Xi had assured him China would not invade Taiwan while he remained in office.
The Taiwanese leader cautioned, however, that China’s expanding military activities posed an escalating threat not just to Taiwan, but to global stability.
“Xi Jinping is not only conducting increasingly large-scale military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, but is also expanding military forces in the East China Sea and South China Sea,” Lai said, according to a transcript released Tuesday by the presidential office.
He added that Beijing’s ambitions extended beyond Taiwan’s annexation. “Once Taiwan is annexed, China will gain greater strength to compete with the United States on the international stage, undermining the rules-based international order,” Lai said.
“Ultimately, this will also impact U.S. homeland interests. Therefore, I hope President Trump will continue to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
Trump, who has said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize like several of his predecessors, could meet Xi later this month during an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in South Korea. The annual Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Norway on Friday.
While Taiwan lacks formal diplomatic ties with Washington, the United States remains its key international backer and is legally required to provide it with the means of self-defense.
Lai reaffirmed Taiwan’s determination to safeguard its sovereignty and regional peace, noting that Taipei aims to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.
“When Taiwan protects itself, it is also committing to maintaining regional peace and stability,” Lai said.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Lai’s remarks. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory, labels Lai a “separatist” and has repeatedly rejected his calls for dialogue.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
