Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called for the end of military threats against Taiwan and reiterated its commitment to preserving democracy, freedom, and the status quo. Lai, who spoke about Taipei's determination, said that "according to the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the sovereignty of the Republic of China is completely in the hands of the people." He added, "The Constitution of the Republic of China does not say that the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China are on opposite sides. They are just across the Taiwan Strait from each other."
The Beijing government has criticized Lai for what it calls "dangerous words" and warned him against pursuing Taiwanese independence. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long claimed that Taiwan is part of its territory, despite Taiwan having de facto independence since 1949. Taipei has continued to maintain full de jure sovereignty, while the cross-strait relationship remains tense.
