Editor's note: CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

Since assuming office, Lai Ching-te as the leader of China's Taiwan region has been seizing every opportunity possible to pursue "Taiwan independence." Unsurprisingly, his first "National Day" speech on Thursday was a fresh attempt to hijack the well-being of Taiwan people for his desire of power.

Taiwan as a "sovereign" nation?

In his speech, Lai repeatedly touted the "two states" theory. "The People's Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan," Lai blatantly said, stressing his mission as Taiwan's leader was to ensure the "nation's sovereignty must not be violated or annexed."

Lai's separatist rhetoric calling for the so-called "sovereignty" and "national identity" of Taiwan flouts international legal norms.

Taiwan's return to China is a component of the post-World War II international order – this was inked in the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation. Under the one-China principle, there's only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The 26th session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 in 1971, expelling the representatives of the Taiwan authorities and restoring the seat and all lawful rights of the PRC government in the UN.

Taiwan being part of China is a basic fact recognized by the international community. Across the world, 183 countries have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle, demonstrating that the one-China principle represents a global trend.

Lai's separatist stance has been harshly criticized within the Taiwan region as well. Former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, for instance, has accused Lai of violating the "Constitution" by touting the "two states" theory on several occasions, and refused to attend the "National Day" celebrations as a gesture opposing Lai's approach to cross-Strait relations.

Chairman of the Kuomintang party Eric Chu also urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Lai to "go beyond the narrow ideology of Taiwan independence." "The path of Taiwan independence is not viable. It will lead to difficulties for Taiwan and is opposed by the international community," Chu stressed.

Packaging Taiwan as a "sovereign" nation, Lai has disregarded history, the reality and the public's will.

Lai's commitments to "peace"?

Lai attached great importance to "peace," mentioning the word 10 times in his Thursday speech. "Our efforts to maintain the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits remain unchanged," the "peace-loving" leader said, touting his Four Pillars of Peace action plan.

Shouting "peace," Lai represents instead the most dangerous turbulence across the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese government's determination for reunification means it will take all necessary measures including military ones to safeguard its territorial integrity. Lai is clear about the consequences of violating the one-China principle, but still he has repeatedly attempted to challenge the Chinese mainland's red line. This, without doubt, has destroyed the prospect of peaceful reunification, pushing the region to the brink of real armed conflicts.

As a politician, Lai has demonstrated his "political wisdom" in playing on words. For Lai, building his image as a "peace-lover" would be easier to woo support from Washington.

Earlier, Lai boldly proclaimed if Taiwan's leader "can enter the White House, the political goal we're pursuing will have been achieved." This audacious statement appeared to unsettle Washington. As a result, Lai was pressed by the U.S. to clarify his "contentious remarks." 

Having discerned Washington's unwillingness to support an "uncontrollable" pawn, Lai thus marketed himself as a "peace-lover" to assuage Washington's fears that his separatist ambitions might spark conflicts across the Taiwan Straits.

Lai's Thursday speech has further revealed his intensified efforts in pacifying the United States. Calling for the Chinese mainland to apply its influence on the Ukraine crisis and the Middle East conflicts, Lai naively hoped that echoing Washington's rhetoric could trade for the latter's support for "Taiwan independence."

If Lai were sincere in maintaining the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, he should stop selling "Taiwan independence" rhetoric as a first step.

Lai's mission for development?

Lai boasted about Taiwan's prosperity and reaffirmed his commitment to the region's economic growth and people's livelihoods on Thursday. "My mission is to care for the lives and livelihoods of the 23 million people of Taiwan, actively develop our economy, and expand investment in social care," Lai said.

Before pledging for better growth, Lai perhaps needs to grasp more knowledge about Taiwan's economic landscape. For decades, Taiwan as an outward economy has depended heavily on international trade, and has maintained a huge trade surplus with the Chinese mainland. Despite its mainland-bound export drop of 15.4 percent year-on-year to $199.35 billion in 2023, Taiwan still maintained a trade surplus of $130.86 billion with the mainland, according to Chinese mainland customs.

Admittedly, Taiwan under DPP rule has been attempting to diversify away from the mainland in recent years, but this cannot conceal the mainland's economic significance to the island.

In this context, Lai's separatist rhetoric will undeniably drag cross-Strait ties into a downward spiral at the cost of the region's prosperity and development. Shouting "people's livelihoods," Lai is instead sacrificing Taiwan people's wellbeing for his selfish "independence" ambition.

Lai's Thursday speech was about "peace" and "development," but in reality, this "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence" is acting toward anything but peace and development.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)