China stages military showcase while Taiwan condemns autocratic cults

In a stark contrast to China's grand military parade, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech on Armed Forces Day, criticising strongmen personality cults and secret police networks. While Lai Ching-te did not directly mention the Chinese event, some Taiwanese television stations showed the parade.

The parade, which saw the attendance of world leaders such as Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, raised concerns among some Taiwanese. Chen Ho-chien, a restaurant owner in Taiwan, expressed his worry that the participation of these leaders might suggest they are willing to use force to invade Taiwan and threaten Western countries.

Interestingly, the most high-profile attendee from Taiwan at China's parade was Hung Hsiu-chu, the former chairwoman of the Kuomintang, the largest opposition party. However, the KMT did not send any official delegation to the parade.

The Republic of China government, currently in Taiwan, was the government at the time of World War Two and fought alongside the Allies. The government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. China, on the other hand, detests Lai Ching-te, who says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, as a "separatist."

In a Facebook post, Lai Ching-te wrote about republican general Hsu Yung-chang, who signed the Japan surrender on behalf of China. However, Lai Ching-te did not mention any connection between this event and China's current military parade.

In his definition of fascism, Lai Ching-te encompassed extreme nationalism, the pursuit of illusory great nation rejuvenation, intense domestic speech control, suppression of social diversity, establishment of secret police networks, and overt cults of personality around strongman leaders. This definition seems to be a veiled criticism of China's current political landscape.

Lai Ching-te attended a memorial ceremony at Taipei's National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine to commemorate those who died fighting for the Republic of China. This act underscores his commitment to honouring Taiwan's history and upholding its democratic values.

As the world watches the complex relationship between China and Taiwan, Lai Ching-te's stance and criticisms provide a stark contrast to the authoritarian tendencies seen in China's political sphere. Whether this will lead to a shift in Taiwan's foreign policy remains to be seen.