Also known as: President Lai Ching-te · Taiwan President Lai Ching-te
Taiwan's president who said the island will not provoke conflict but will not yield sovereignty, responding to China-US tensions in May 2026.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… In a post on Facebook, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te wrote that he was “deeply saddened” about Lam’s death, sending condolences to his family and friends. …
Dissident Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee dies aged 70Joy Online
… Last year, a group of New Zealand MPs met Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te during a trip to Taiwan. …
China bans four New Zealand MPs over Taiwan visitJoy Online
Taiwan will not provoke any conflict but will also not give up its sovereignty, said its president Lai Ching-te after a high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping where they discussed the issue of Taiwan’s independence. …
Taiwan will not provoke conflict nor give up sovereignty, says presidentJoy Online
… Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation. …
Taiwan insists it is independent after Trump warningJoy Online
… Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation. …
Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China’s XiJoy Online
… Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation. …
Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China’s XiJoy Online
… State Department said of President Lai Ching-te’s trip to the southern African kingdom. …
US calls Taiwan ‘trusted and capable partner’, praises its ties with EswatiniThe Chronicle
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, days after his government said a trip had been cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to stop him flying over their territories. …
Taiwan president visits Eswatini days after blaming China for cancelled tripJoy Online
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, days after his government said a trip had been cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to stop him flying over their territories. …
Taiwan president visits Eswatini days after blaming China for cancelled tripJoy Online
… Last month, Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te had to cancel a trip to Eswatini after three other African countries – Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar – barred his aircraft from flying over their territories. …
China scraps tariffs for all but one African nationLam Wing-kee, a Hong Kong bookseller who fled to Taiwan in 2019 after defying Chinese authorities and selling material critical of political elites, has died aged 70 from lung cancer. He was detained in 2015 alongside other booksellers and later reopened his Causeway Bay Books bookshop in Taiwan.
6 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Lam Wing-kee, a Hong Kong bookseller who fled to Taiwan in 2019 after defying Chinese authorities and selling material critical of political elites, has died aged 70 from lung cancer. He was detained in 2015 alongside other booksellers and later reopened his Causeway Bay Books bookshop in Taiwan.
6 July 2026 · Joy Online →
China has banned four New Zealand Members of Parliament for a year following their visit to Taiwan in May, a first for the country according to New Zealand's foreign ministry. The MPs—Maureen Pugh, David Wilson, Laura McClure, and Duncan Webb—can have the ban reduced or waived with an apology, though at least one MP said she would not apologize.
4 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te said Taiwan will not provoke conflict but will not give up its sovereignty, responding to a Trump-Xi summit where China's Xi emphasized Taiwan as the most important bilateral issue. Lai reiterated Taiwan's longstanding position that there is no "Taiwan independence" issue because Taiwan already considers itself a sovereign and independent democratic country.
18 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Taiwan's presidential spokesperson said it is "self-evident" that Taiwan is "a sovereign, independent democratic country," after US President Trump warned against formal independence and said he had made no commitment either way about the island following talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump also said he would soon decide on an $11bn weapons package for Taiwan's self-defence.
16 May 2026 · Joy Online →
US President Donald Trump cautioned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China following his summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump said he had "made no commitment either way" about Taiwan and reiterated that US policy on the matter had not changed.
16 May 2026 · Joy Online →
US President Donald Trump cautioned Taiwan against formally declaring independence from China following his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump stated he is not looking to have Taiwan go independent and said US policy on the matter has not changed.
16 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The U.S. State Department called Taiwan a "trusted and capable" partner and praised its global relationships, including with Eswatini, after President Lai Ching-te visited the southern African kingdom. Eswatini is one of just 12 countries with formal diplomatic ties to Taiwan and the only one in Africa.
5 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te arrived in Eswatini, Taiwan's sole African diplomatic ally, days after his government said an earlier trip had been cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to deny his aircraft overflight rights. The unannounced visit followed careful diplomatic arrangements, and China characterised it as a "stowaway-style escape farce".
4 May 2026 · The Chronicle →
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Africa, days after his government said a previous trip was cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to deny flight permits. The unannounced visit followed careful diplomatic arrangements, and China described it as a "stowaway-style escape farce."
3 May 2026 · Joy Online →
China will scrap tariffs for all African countries except Eswatini from Friday, expanding its duty-free policy to cover 53 countries through April 2028. Analysts note the move enhances China's soft-power positioning against the US, though Africa's growing trade deficit with China remains a concern.
1 May 2026 · Joy Online →