By Zhong Yiping

In his so-called "Double Ten" speech, Lai Ching-te brazenly embellished his own record, once again exaggerating the so-called confrontation between democracy and authoritarianism. He maliciously distorted the mainland's legitimate actions as "military threats and coercion," clamored for higher defense spending, and eagerly courted external forces to show political loyalty. His repetitive rhetoric and hollow posturing are not only despicable but also ridiculous.

The situation across the Taiwan Strait and public opinion on the island have undergone significant changes, yet Lai Ching-te remains trapped in his so-called "Taiwan independence" illusion, sustaining himself through lies. Recent polls in Taiwan show that Lai Ching-te's approval rating has fallen to just 32.7%, hitting a historic low.　　

This wave of public dissatisfaction stems from Lai's administrative incompetence. Since taking office, he has focused single-mindedly on stirring division and pursuing political gains, showing little concern for urgent livelihood issues. While shouting slogans of "unity," Lai Ching-te and his ilk are in fact creating a "green terror," targeting political dissenters. They paint grandiose but hollow livelihood initiatives, yet allocate massive funds to defense and armaments. Though they claim to "leave no one behind," in reality, they drag their feet and show laxity during typhoons, floods, and other disasters, disregarding public safety. Particularly reprehensible was the flood disaster at the Mataian River in Hualien, where the Lai Ching-te administration failed to respond effectively, resulting in heavy casualties. With no official assistance, residents were forced to wade through floodwaters in rubber boots and pick up shovels to engage in self-rescue, while Lai not only avoided reflection or accountability but even used the so-called Shovel Heroes as a tool to embellish his record and shift public dissatisfaction.

This wave of public dissatisfaction stems from Lai Ching-te hollowing out Taiwan's resources and jeopardizing its future through actions of "selling out Taiwan." Tariffs, large-scale imports of agricultural products, and the semiconductor industry have all become bargaining chips for Lai to pursue his so-called "Taiwan independence" agenda for personal and political gain. In particular, during his so-called "Double Ten" speech, Lai, in an effort to curry favor with external forces, pledged to raise Taiwan's defense budget to 5% of regional GDP by 2030. According to calculations on the island, these funds allocated to defense could instead be used to build 20 large hospitals, construct 10 high-speed rail lines, or provide 20 years of free nutritious lunches for all primary and secondary school students. Ultimately, the massive military expenditure comes at the expense of public welfare, squeezing resources from the livelihoods of ordinary people.

Even more lamentable is that Lai Ching-te, kowtowing to and currying favor with external forces, has turned Taiwan into a readily accessible "cash machine," only to be met with ever greater demands, higher prices, and the constant risk of being discarded as expendable. According to reports, some Western politicians have already urged Taiwan to raise its defense budget to 10% of regional GDP. By choosing to "dance with wolves," Lai Ching-te is bound to face backlash.

This wave of public dissatisfaction stems from an increasing number of Taiwanese people breaking free from the "information cocoon" created by Lai’s administration, and seeing the real mainland and a strong, prosperous motherland. In September, many media outlets and self-media platforms across the island broadcast the V-day military parade in Beijing around the clock, with online views exceeding 5 million, and Taiwanese compatriots praised the motherland's remarkable achievements and strong military capabilities. A prosperous, strong, and vibrant China serves as a warm home and solid backing for every Taiwanese compatriot.

Observers in Taiwan have summarized that Taiwan now faces three major threats, namely the risk of war in the Taiwan Strait, endless internal strife, and crises arising from ineffective tariff negotiations. One may ask, isn't Lai Ching-te, who came to power just over a year ago, the very originator of these three threats? The tide of history is irreversible, and public sentiment cannot be defied. By stubbornly acting on their own, continuously testing the limits at the edge of danger, Lai Ching-te and his ilk will inevitably have to bear historical responsibility for their actions and eventually be swallowed and buried by the very chasm they have dug with their own hands.

Editor's Note: Originally published on gmw.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.