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Taiwan will defend its freedom and democracy, president

says

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China making a renewed push for Taiwan to accept its

autonomy

offer

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China views Taiwan as its own territory

By Yi-Chin Lee

HUKOU, Taiwan, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Taiwan does not want

China's "one country, two systems" and must uphold its freedom

and democracy, and resolve to defend itself, President Lai

Ching-te said on Friday, rejecting Beijing's latest push to get

the island to come under Chinese control.

China said this week it "absolutely will not" rule out using

force over Taiwan, striking a much tougher tone than a series of

articles in state media that pledged benign rule if the island

comes over to Beijing under a system of autonomy it uses for

Hong Kong and Macau.

Lai, whom China views as a "separatist", told soldiers at a

military base in northern Taiwan's Hukou that only strength can

bring true peace.

"Accepting the aggressor's claims and abandoning sovereignty

certainly cannot achieve peace. Therefore, we must maintain the

status quo with dignity and resolve, firmly opposing annexation,

aggression, and the forced advancement of unification," he said.

"We reject 'one country, two systems' because we will

forever uphold our free and democratic constitutional system,"

Lai added.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to

a request for comment.

No major political party in Taiwan supports China's "one

country, two systems" idea.

Lai said that the Republic of China - Taiwan's formal name -

and the People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each

other and that "Taiwan's sovereignty cannot be violated or

annexed" and its future can only be decided by its people.

"The Taiwanese people safeguarding their sovereignty and

preserving their democratic and free way of life should not be

viewed as provocation. Investing in national defence is

investing in peace."

Lai has pledged to increase military spending to 5% of GDP

by 2030, strengthening the island's defences in the face of a

rising threat from its giant neighbour China.

Lai was in Hukou for a commissioning ceremony for Taiwan's

first battalion of M1A2T Abrams tanks, made by General Dynamics

Land Systems, a unit of U.S. firm General Dynamics ( GD ).

Taiwan has so far received 80 of the 108 M1A2T tanks it

ordered from the United States, the island's most important

international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of

formal diplomatic ties.

The M1A2T tank can fire high explosive anti-tank

warheads and kinetic energy ammunition, such as armor-piercing

fin-stabilised discarding sabot.