Taiwan (MNN) — Tensions between China and Taiwan continue to play out on an international stage.
Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, received congratulations from multiple nations after the January 13 elections, including from the United States and Japan. But Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi responded by warning the international community of violating the one-China principle, which maintains that Taiwan is a territory of China.
“There are those who are convinced that China’s (going to) try to invade Taiwan and take it over,” says Joe Handley with A3. “Then you have others that say, ‘No, that won’t happen. There’s too much political pressure in the world that (will) prevent that from happening.’”
Photo of Taiwan courtesy of Angela Lo via Unsplash.
Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen said in a video release on Thursday, “Taiwan will keep working with our democratic partners to maintain peace and stability.”
Both Tsai and Lai are within the Democratic Progressive Party, which China says is a “separatist” force.
Handley says that some of his colleagues have moved from Taiwan to nearby nations to avoid the brewing situation. “Others are staying regardless — you know, hoping that China doesn’t come in and take over, but they want to be at the forefront of being the witness for Christ.”
Pray for A3 as they launch a training course for Christian leaders in Taiwan later this year.
“We’ll need a lot of people, a lot of resourcing, a lot of wise choices in how we go about what we do,” Handley says.
“Pray for those leaders, that they could experience revival, that they could experience renewal. Then pray for them in terms of whatever happens with the mainland (China). Pressures that are going to be on them are immense.”
Consider partnering with A3 to come alongside Christian leaders in Taiwan and around the world with training and equipping.
Click here to learn more about A3 and the opportunity to double or triple your gift as part of a matching grant challenge.
Header image depicts Lai Ching-te in a 2023 speech. (Wikimedia Commons)
