"China Must Stop Intimidating..." New Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te Warns, Xi Vows "Reunification"

Taiwan's newly inaugurated president called on China to stop threatening the island and accept the existence of its democracy. Ching-te urged Beijing to replace confrontation with dialogue, warning that Taiwan would never back down in the face of intimidation from China. China responded to Lai, saying he had sent "dangerous signals" that sought to undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese foreign ministry lashed out saying “Taiwan independence is a dead end” and is “doomed to fail." Just as Lai was being sworn in, China's Commerce Ministry announced sanctions against several US companies "involved in arms sales to Taiwan."