President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called on the public to be vigilant against China’s “united front” tactics, which have become increasingly severe, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) remains committed to annexing Taiwan.
Lai made the remarks while visiting Lecheng Temple (樂成宮) in Taichung, where he gave out limited-edition red envelopes and greeted the public for the Lunar New Year.
The red envelope, with a NT$1 coin inside, features dog and cat drawings designed by Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) to symbolize Taiwan’s warm and friendly attitude, and love for animals.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
A recipient said she joined the line outside the temple at 4:30am and waited for six hours before receiving a red envelope from the president.
Speaking to the crowd, Lai said the CCP’s use of military and economic coercion to annex Taiwan has not changed.
“No matter how nice their [CCP] words sound, the threats against Taiwan remain,” he said.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
The president cited the increasing number of indicted and convicted cases of espionage over the past year or two as an example of the “united front” operations by China that have become increasingly severe.
Taiwan is our democratic homeland, Lai said, urging “everyone to protect the country, its democratic and free way of life, and resist China’s ‘united front’ efforts.”
Lai said that as president, he is responsible for ensuring a stable life for the public by safeguarding national security, promoting economic growth and caring for underprivileged members of society.
However, he also urged the public to join the collective effort to protect the country, maintain social stability and prevent fraud.
Financial scams and fraud remain a bane, with more than 500 cases of fraud recorded per day, costing the public an average of NT$400 million to NT$500 million (US$12.2 million to US$15.3 million), he said.
Seventy percent of these cases are investment fraud, he added.
These cases lead to huge financial losses and family issues, Lai said, urging the public to be alert against scams.
Lai also visited other temples in central Taiwan, including Fongyuan Cihji Temple (豐原慈濟宮), also in Taichung, and Lugang Tianhou Temple (鹿港天后宮) in Changhua County and Fusing Temple (福興宮) in Yunlin County’s Siluo Township (西螺).
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