Taiwan president marks World War Two anniversary, warning indulging aggressors only whets appetite for expansion

By Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan and Europe look the aforesaid menace from authoritarianism, President Lai Ching-te said connected Thursday, marking 80 years since the extremity of World War Two successful Europe and informing that indulging aggressors lone whets their appetite for expansion.

Taiwan has faced accrued subject unit from China, including warfare games, arsenic Beijing seeks to asseverate its sovereignty claims implicit the democratically-governed island, and has sought associated origin with Europe from the hazard it faces from Russia.

Speaking to an assemblage including European, British, Japanese, Canadian and U.S. diplomats based successful Taiwan, Lai said Taiwan shares the aforesaid values arsenic galore of the democracies who fought successful World War Two.

"At galore points successful history, radical person thought to springiness the aggressor a tiny concession to gain peace," Lai said astatine the Taipei Guest House, the residence of the politician wide nether Japanese assemblage regularisation of Taiwan, which ended successful 1945.

"But arsenic we each cognize from the achy lessons of World War Two, indulging aggressors with a sensation of enlargement lone whets their appetite; it makes them much assured and hungrier for more."

Lai's code - the archetypal clip Taiwan has formally marked the extremity of the warfare successful Europe - coincided with Chinese President Xi Jinping's sojourn to Russia for Moscow's Friday subject parade to people the war's end.

In an nonfiction for a Russian paper connected Wednesday, Xi said Taiwan legally belonged to China and nary substance however the concern connected the land evolved oregon "what troubles outer forces whitethorn make", the inclination towards "reunification" was unstoppable.

Lai did not straight notation Russia oregon China by name, but said Taiwan and Europe look "the menace of a caller authoritarian bloc", pointing to issues similar harm to undersea cables - which some Taiwan and Europe person complained astir - predetermination interference and dispersed of disinformation.

"Lovers of state astir the world, some individuals and nations, indispensable enactment unneurotic present successful choky solidarity, earlier risks crook into crises and earlier crises are taken vantage of by those with ambitions for outward expansion," helium said.

Lai, who took bureau successful May past year, is condemned by Beijing arsenic a "separatist". He says lone Taiwan's radical tin determine their future, and rejects China's sovereignty claims.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)