UPDATE 1-Taiwan's future cannot be decided by 'external forces', president says

Taiwan's future cannot ​be decided by "external forces", only by ‌its ​own people, and the democratically governed island will not give up its freedom, President Lai Ching-te said ‌on Wednesday as he marked two years in office.

Taiwan's future cannot ​be decided by "external forces", only by ‌its ​own people, and the democratically governed island will not give up its freedom, President Lai Ching-te said ‌on Wednesday as he marked two years in office. Lai faces not only pressure from China, which claims Taiwan as its own and calls him a "separatist", but also ‌from the U.S., traditionally its most important supporter. Last week following a summit ‌with China's Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was undecided on further arms sales to Taiwan, which he said were a "good negotiating chip" and that he was "not looking ⁠to ​have somebody say, 'Let's ⁠go independent". Speaking at the presidential office in Taipei, Lai said democracy is not a "gift that fell ⁠from the sky".

"Taiwan's future cannot be decided by external forces, nor can it be ​held hostage by fear, division, or short-term interests. Taiwan's future must be ⁠decided jointly by its 23 million people," he said. Maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan ⁠Strait and ​preventing "external forces" from changing the cross-strait status quo are Taiwan's strategic objectives, Lai added.

"Taiwan is a responsible member of the international community, not a ⁠party that undermines stability," he said. Lai reiterated that Taiwan was willing, on ⁠the principles of ⁠parity and dignity, to engage in healthy and orderly exchanges with China, but rejected efforts that "package unification as peace."