台湾総統、領土防衛「一寸たりとも譲らない」

【金門島（台湾）ＡＦＰ＝時事】台湾の頼清徳総統は２４日、台湾を自国の一部と主張し、軍事的圧力を強めている中国に対し、「一寸の領土も譲らない」と述べた。（写真は、「古寧頭戦役」〈金門島の戦い〉勝利７５年の式典に出席し、退役兵を前に演説する台湾の頼清徳総統。金門島で）
　頼総統はこの日、「古寧頭戦役」（金門島の戦い）での中国共産党に対する勝利から７５年を記念し、離島の金門島を訪問。
　頼総統は演説で「台湾、澎湖、金門、馬祖の一寸の土地も譲らない。断固として祖国を守る」と島々の名を挙げて述べ、また「古寧頭の戦いは、民主主義や自由が当たり前のものではなく、世代を超えた共同の努力によって守られるものであるということを教えてくれる」と続けた。
　また、中国に直接言及することはなかったが、「いかなる外部勢力」も、これらの島々の未来を変えることは許されないと強調した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/10/25-21:13）

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said Friday the island will not cede an inch of its territory, as China maintains military pressure on Taipei to accept its claim of sovereignty.
Lai made the remarks during a visit to the Kinmen islands off China for the 75th anniversary of a victory over communist forces in the Battle of Guningtou.
It followed a fortnight of intense military activity in the Taiwan Strait -- the sensitive waterway that separates China and Taiwan -- with troops from both sides holding drills.
(We) will not yield an inch of ground in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to firmly defend our homeland, Lai said in a speech, referring to the islands controlled by Taipei.
The Battle of Guningtou lets us understand that democracy and freedom should not be taken for granted, but require the joint efforts of generations to defend them, Lai said.
Without naming China, Lai insisted that any external forces would not be allowed to change the future of the islands.
China's Communist Party has never ruled democratic Taiwan, but Beijing claims the island as part of its territory and has said it will never renounce the use of force to bring it under its control.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian brushed aside Lai's comments, insisting that China and Taiwan will and must be unified in the end.
The dispute between Beijing and Taipei dates back to a civil war between Mao Zedong's communist fighters and Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces, which fled to Taiwan in 1949 following their defeat.
The nationalists scored a key victory over the communists in the Battle of Guningtou on the Kinmen islands.
Lai, who took power in May and has been more outspoken than his predecessor in defending Taiwan's sovereignty, earlier attended a sombre ceremony for the battle and shook hands with veterans.
In his speech, Lai said Taiwan's determination to defend our national sovereignty and efforts to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were unchanged.
He repeated his hope that China and Taiwan will conduct dialogue and exchanges with parity, dignity and in a healthy and orderly manner.
Beijing severed high-level communications with Taipei in 2016 and has since ramped up military and political pressure on the self-ruled island.
China's large-scale war games around Taiwan on October 14 were followed by live-fire drills nearthe islandon Tuesday, and the transiting of a Chinese aircraft carrier group through the Taiwan Strait a day later.
Taiwanese troops conducted live-fire drills on Penghu island in the waterway on Thursday, days after a US and a Canadian warship sailed through the narrow passage.