China has no right to represent Taiwan, but the island is willing to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday, striking both a firm and a conciliatory tone,

Taipei and Washington say there is no justification for China launching additional military drills as “punishment” after Taiwan’s National Day celebrations.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed Thursday to "resist annexation", as China exerts growing military and political pressure on the self-ruled island it claims as part of its territory.

President Lai Ching- te took office in May, continuing the eight-year rule of the Democratic Progressive Party that rejects Beijing's stance that Taiwan is a part of China. Lai made the remarks on Taiwan's National Day.

China has no right to represent Taiwan, but the island is willing to work with Beijing to combat global challenges like climate change, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday, striking both a firm and a conciliatory tone.

It is “absolutely impossible” for the People’s Republic of China to become Taiwan’s motherland because the island’s government is older, Taiwan’s president said ahead of the island’s national day celebrations.

China is likely to launch military drills this week near Taiwan, using Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's upcoming national day speech as a pretext to pressure the island to accept its sovereignty claims,

Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te said it was “impossible” for mainland China to become the self-governing island’s motherland, claiming that Taiwan had older political roots. “In terms of age, it is absolutely impossible for the People’s Republic of China to become the motherland of the Republic of China’s people,