Taiwan marks 80th year of Victory in Europe Day

Taiwan marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day on Thursday by making broad comparisons between threats to European peace and aggression from China, whose leader Xi Jinping was in Russia for commemorations as Moscow continues its invasion of Ukraine.

- Associated Press

"Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. History has taught us that no matter the driving reason or ideology, military aggression against another country is an unjust crime that is bound to fail," Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te told diplomats in Taipei. "Authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy, and greater inequality," he added.

Turning more directly to China's threats, Lai said that both Taiwan and Europe were "now facing the threat of a new authoritarian bloc."

"We are seeing our decades-old undersea cables, crucial for communications and cybersecurity, being sabotaged. We are seeing external interference in our elections, crucial for healthy democratic development, through the spread of misinformation and disinformation, sowing intentional division in society," Lai said.

He added that democratic, rules-based markets are threatened by "all manner of gray-zone activities, dumping, pressures and intrusions."