Two Flags, One Message: President Lai’s Tightrope on Taiwan’s Sovereignty

By Lîm Cho̍k-súi (林濁水)



In a recent speech, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te made a bold symbolic move: identifying the flag of the Republic of China (ROC) as representing “ROC loyalists,” while the green flag of the Taiwan independence movement represents the “Taiwan camp.” His call for both to unite in defending sovereignty, democracy, and Taiwan’s future was not just political theatre. It was a deliberate effort to bridge one of the deepest identity divides within Taiwanese society—and to recast the framework of national unity in an era of heightened geopolitical tension.

Domestically, Lai’s remarks may be read as a reaffirmation of the Democratic Progressive Party’s long-held view that Taiwan is already a sovereign nation—one that doesn’t need to declare independence because it already governs itself. For pro-independence voices wary of excessive emphasis on the ROC framework, Lai’s message offered validation: that “Taiwanese” and “ROC” identities need not be mutually exclusive in the face of a common external threat.

Yet internationally, the message is more fraught. Lai drew a sharp line between the ROC and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), reinforcing the idea of “mutual non-subordination.” That framing—while familiar in Taiwan—edges closer to what many governments have long sought to avoid: a "two Chinas" framework. The risk is not semantic. For decades, most countries have maintained formal diplomatic recognition of the PRC while treating Taiwan as a de facto state under strategic ambiguity, in part to avoid contradicting the 1971 United Nations Resolution 2758. That resolution recognized the PRC as “the only legitimate representative of China” but left Taiwan’s international status deliberately unresolved.

Lai’s statement could be interpreted as an effort to redefine the ROC as no longer part of "China" at all, but rather as a distinct identity aligned with Taiwanese nationhood. While that may be internally coherent within Taiwan’s constitutional and political evolution, it places added strain on the already ambiguous diplomatic space that has allowed Taiwan to expand international engagement without formal recognition.

This tension echoes contradictions on both sides of the Strait. The PRC’s 2005 Anti-Secession Law, for instance, claims that cross-strait reunification has not yet occurred but insists Taiwan is already part of one China. Likewise, Taiwan’s own constitution still claims sovereignty over all of China, despite the obvious divergence between legal theory and territorial reality.

Lai’s rhetorical turn might energize domestic supporters, but it also highlights a strategic dilemma: how to maintain democratic clarity without undermining the diplomatic ambiguity that has protected Taiwan’s space on the global stage. The 1999 DPP Resolution on Taiwan’s Future struck a careful balance—affirming Taiwan’s sovereignty while preserving room for international maneuver. Deviating too far from that precedent may complicate external support rather than strengthen it.

In navigating these identity questions, Taiwan’s leaders must continue to thread a narrow needle: asserting national dignity without triggering diplomatic isolation. President Lai’s speech may mark a significant evolution in Taiwan’s domestic consensus—but internationally, it raises the same enduring question: Can clarity at home coexist with ambiguity abroad?

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