Expert: Lai Ching-te's '10 lectures on unity' – a facade for self-interest

Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te recently launched a so-called "10 lectures on unity" tour across Taiwan, ostensibly preaching unity while distorting historical narratives and fabricating legal justifications to advance his "Taiwan independence" rhetoric. Over the first four lectures, each addressing distinct themes, Lai sparked significant controversy with every appearance. His fifth lecture, originally scheduled on July 5, was abruptly canceled citing Typhoon Danas.

Zhang Hua, deputy director of the Political Research Office at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies, analyzed Lai's motives on two interconnected levels. First, the lectures serve as a platform to propagate "Taiwan independence" fallacies, capitalizing on Lai's self-proclaimed identity as a "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence" to disseminate separatist ideology through public forums, as evidenced by the pro-independence content saturating his initial four lectures.

Second, Lai aims to fuel the ongoing "mass recall" campaign initiated in late 2024 by green-aligned factions and pro-DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) supporters, a political maneuver timed strategically just one day after Taiwan's electoral authority finalized recall vote dates. This campaign seeks to reshape Taiwan's legislative landscape, where opposition forces currently hold a majority in the 113-seat legislature (Kuomintang: 52 seats, Taiwan People's Party: 8, independents: 2), enabling robust oversight of Lai's executive branch and hindering his controversial policies.

Lai is exploiting this recall movement to eliminate "non-green" lawmakers, replace them through by-elections and consolidate power by weakening legislative checks on his authority, prioritizing personal political gain over public welfare, Zhang said.

An anonymous young Taiwan interviewee echoed these concerns, stating Lai's "unity" rhetoric masks divisive tactics, particularly his branding of dissenters as "impurities," which has alienated broad segments of society. She warned Lai may soon pivot to internal purges to divert attention from plummeting public trust, a move that would further plunge Taiwan into chaos, exposing the absurdity of his self-serving governance.

Earlier, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office stated: "Lai's remarks blatantly ignore overwhelming opposition across Taiwan society. His actions have further torn apart public consensus, escalated provocative 'independence' posturing, and intensified damage to cross-Straits relations."