TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Monday said those who advocate for Taiwan's elimination are not protected by freedom of speech. 

During a speech commemorating the 36th anniversary of pro-democracy movement pioneer Nylon Cheng's (鄭南榕) death, Lai said Taiwan's democracy and freedom face threats from authoritarian forces, per CNA. He warned that China's media, psychological, and legal warfare, along with increasingly aggressive gray-zone intrusions, are steadily eroding Taiwan’s democracy and threatening regional peace and stability.

He noted that 64 Taiwanese were prosecuted for spying for China last year, four times the number in 2021. He said these individuals accepted funding from Beijing and coordinated with China to undermine Taiwan’s democracy. 

Lai said some retired military personnel collaborated with China to establish organizations like the so-called “Taiwan Military Government” and plotted to overthrow the government. Others gathered rosters of senior officers, surveilled key military sites, and sought confidential government information to assist China in understanding Taiwan’s military intelligence. 

He said some followed Chinese directives to spread propaganda, sway public opinion, and interfere in democratic elections. Lai acknowledged that even DPP staff members have been targeted for infiltration, and the same is true for opposition parties.

Lai noted that China's cyber intrusions have continued to surge, with the Government Service Network subjected to an average of 2.4 million intrusion attempts per day in 2024, double that of the previous year. In just the first quarter of this year, 134 government agencies and private institutions were hit by cyberattacks. 

Lai added that in recent weeks, China has launched a series of military exercises, deploying large numbers of naval and air forces to “intimidate Taiwanese into giving up their love for their homeland, freedom, and democracy.” He said these actions challenge international norms, undermine the status quo, and have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community.

He said the government must respond proactively. “When someone colludes with China to advocate military invasion, subvert the government, or use extreme means to undermine the democratic system, attempting to exploit Taiwan’s freedom and diversity to create chaos or endanger national security, the government will resolutely take action,” warned Lai.

Lai stressed, “Any proposal that advocates depriving the Taiwanese of their freedom, or calls for the disappearance of (Taiwan), is not freedom of speech that Taiwanese society can accept." He added, "Absolute freedom of speech does not mean using freedom to eliminate freedom.”

The president said the prerequisite for democracy, freedom, and human rights is national sovereignty. “Democracy means the people are the masters (of their country). Only with sovereignty can there be democracy, and only with democracy can there be freedom, and only with freedom can there be human rights. Without national sovereignty, the people cannot be the masters, and freedom cannot exist.”

Lai concluded, “As president, my mission is to ensure the country's continued survival and development, safeguard the hard-won democracy and freedom, and protect national sovereignty from being violated or annexed.”