In an interview marking his first 100 days in office, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is more focused on achieving hegemony rather than pursuing territorial integrity. Lai pointed out that while Beijing often cites territorial integrity as a justification for its ambitions to seize Taiwan, it does not use the same rhetoric when it comes to historically Chinese territories in Russia.
Lai questioned why China doesn’t attempt to reclaim lands occupied by Russia that were signed over in the Treaty of Aigun if its goal is truly about territorial integrity. The treaty, signed by the Qing Dynasty in 1858, ceded a significant portion of land along the Amur River to the Russian Empire.
According to Lai, China’s desire to annex Taiwan is not driven by any actions or statements from individuals or political parties within Taiwan. Instead, he believes that Beijing’s true aim is to achieve hegemony in the Western Pacific and challenge the rules-based international order.