Taiwan’s President Draws Parallels Between 1930s Europe and Present-Day Threats in WWII Commemoration

 TAIPEI — In a significant and symbolically charged address on Thursday, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te likened Taiwan’s current geopolitical position to that of European democracies facing the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, warning against the perils of appeasing authoritarian regimes.

“Eighty years after the end of the European war, the message of history is clear,” President Lai said. “Today, 80 years later, we share the same values and face similar challenges as many of the democracies that participated in the European war.” The remarks were delivered during Taiwan’s first official commemoration of the end of the Second World War in Europe, an event attended by a delegation of foreign dignitaries in Taipei.

Against the backdrop of increasing military pressure from Beijing, Lai used the occasion to issue a veiled but pointed call for international solidarity. “Taiwan and Europe are jointly facing the threat of a new totalitarian group,” he declared. “The bitter experience of World War Two tells us that appeasement will only make the invaders more greedy and expand their ambitions.”

The event began with a video montage featuring footage from the D-Day landings and audio excerpts from Winston Churchill’s iconic “We shall fight on the beaches” speech. Among the speakers were Ruth Bradley-Jones, the United Kingdom’s top representative in Taiwan, and Lutz Güllner, head of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei.

Marcin Jerzewski, Director of the Taiwan Office of the European Values Center for Security Policy, noted the strategic intent behind Lai’s remarks. “He’s sending a clear message that the security and prosperity of Taiwan and Europe are interconnected—particularly at a time when European partners may be uncertain about the continuity of American security commitments,” Jerzewski said.

Lai’s remarks come amid growing cross-strait tensions and an increasingly assertive posture from Beijing. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has pledged to achieve unification—by force if necessary. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January has introduced new ambiguity regarding the United States’ long-standing, albeit unofficial, security support for the island.

China has intensified its use of so-called “grey-zone” tactics, including military encirclement drills and disinformation campaigns, to apply pressure on Taiwan without provoking outright conflict. “Taiwan wants to be seen as a contributor to global stability, not merely a beneficiary of Western support,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.

The timing of Lai’s address also drew attention, occurring just a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow for Russia’s commemoration of the end of the Second World War. The event, which will include a military parade featuring Chinese troops, underscores Beijing’s deepening alignment with Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Xi, in an article published Wednesday in Russian media, framed the week’s commemorations as “the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s recovery” by China—an assertion that reaffirms Beijing’s claim over the island. “No matter how the situation on the island of Taiwan changes, no matter how external forces disrupt it, the historical trend that China will eventually reunify and will definitely reunify is unstoppable,” Xi wrote. He also thanked Russia for its support of China’s “measures to achieve national reunification.”

As geopolitical tensions mount, Lai’s speech signals Taiwan’s growing assertiveness in shaping global perceptions—not just as a flashpoint, but as a stakeholder in the defense of democratic values worldwide.