Taiwan's president criticized Beijing and called for "democracy and freedom" for all the Chinese of the world

Taiwan's President, Tsai Ing-wen, asked Sunday in a message for the Lunar New Year that Every Chinese in the world can experience the "blessings" of democracyin a veiled criticism of the political regime of the People's Republic of China.

"Taiwan has the ability to maintain its cultural traditions and commits to defend the values ​​of freedom and democracy ", said the president in a text broadcast through their social networks on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, which will begin on Tuesday.

"Those who live in places where there is no democracy may not understand this commitment. We hope that Chinese people around the world will be able to experience this blessing, "he added.

Taiwan, also known as the Chinese Republic, appeared in 1949 when the Kuomintang nationalist forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek, they were defeated after a long civil war by the Communists of Mao Tse-tung.

At that time, the Chinese territory was divided into two countries: the Communist and Authoritarian People's Republic of China, on the continent and with capital in Beijing, and the capitalist and ultimately democratic Republic of China, on the island of Taiwan and with the capital in Taipei where the followers of Chiang Kai- shek.

Since then, the two governments have disagreed, and Taipei is reaffirming its independence and Beijing does not give up its desire to unify the country under his commandas part of the "One China" policy.

In fact, Chinese President Xi Jinping has increased pressure on the island of Taiwan, headed since 2016 by President Tsai, a member of the Progressive Democratic Party, which defends independence.

"I wish three new wishes for our Chinese friends, at home and abroad"said the Taiwanese president Sunday. "I wish you to enjoy democracy, freedom and continued prosperity"he said.

Although Beijing did not respond to Tsai's messages, Xi himself said, a few weeks ago, in his first speech in 2019, that China has reserved the right to use force to incorporate Taiwan under its control, although I am looking for a "peaceful reunification".

In Taiwan, support for this process is hitherto rare, especially in the last six years since Xi's arrival in power in the continental neighbor, One of them has been marked by internal repression of all criticism and by increased control of the Chinese Communist Party in almost every aspect of daily life.

However the old party Kuomintang, which currently has a position of approaching Communist China, won important victories in the November regional elections in Taiwan, marking the territory for the 2020 presidential elections.

With Reuters information