BEIJING/TAIPEI ¨C Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is escalating tensions with ¡°sinister intentions,¡± China¡¯s government said, ahead of a keynote speech Lai will give in Taipei that could set off a Chinese military response.
Lai, who took office in May after being elected in January, is detested by China, which calls him a ¡°separatist.¡± Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a view Lai and his government reject.
Responding late Tuesday to comments Lai gave at the weekend on how it is ¡°impossible¡± for the People¡¯s Republic of China to become Taiwan¡¯s motherland because Taiwan has older political roots, China¡¯s Taiwan Affairs Office said he was confusing right from wrong.
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