Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech as he inspects Taiwanese military in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP)Taiwan's president said Sunday he was still open to working with China on building "mutual understanding and reconciliation", days after Beijing launched military drills around the self-ruled island in response to his inauguration speech. Fighter jets, naval vessels and coast guard ships encircled Taiwan until Friday night, which Chinese military analysts said was to practice seizing it. Lai made overtures to Beijing before his inauguration to resume communications -- severed since 2016 after former president Tsai Ing-wen took office. In response, Beijing has upped military and political pressures on Taiwan, and its naval vessels, drones and warplanes maintain a near-daily presence around the island.

Source: The Standard May 26, 2024 12:19 UTC