President William Lai, in his National Day address, reaffirmed Taiwan’s self-governing status and commitment to resisting Chinese annexation. He emphasized maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait and expressed willingness to cooperate with Beijing on global issues. Lai asserted that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, highlighting Taiwan’s thriving democracy. His speech was notably softer than previous ones, aiming to avoid provoking Beijing, though experts anticipate a strong reaction from China. Lai also rejected China’s claim as Taiwan’s “motherland,” citing historical timelines.