Autocracy is evil, says Taiwan leader after China's death-penalty threat

Democracy is not a crime and autocracy is the real “evil”, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on June 24 after China threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for “die-hard” Taiwan independence separatists.

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China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has made no secret of its dislike of Mr Lai, who took office in May, saying he is a “separatist”, and staged war games shortly after his inauguration.

On June 21, China ramped up its pressure on Taiwan by issuing new legal guidelines to punish those it says support the island’s formal independence, though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction over the democratically governed island.

Asked about China’s move at a news conference at the presidential office in Taipei, Mr Lai first reiterated his sympathy for recent flooding in southern China before responding.

“I want to stress: Democracy is not a crime; it’s autocracy that is the real evil. China has absolutely no right to sanction Taiwan’s people just because of the positions they hold. What’s more, China has no right to go after Taiwan people’s rights across borders,” he said.