Taipei, June 30 -- The People's Republic of China (PRC) is not the "motherland" of the Republic of China (ROC) and has never owned Taiwan, President William Lai said yesterday, as reported by the Taipei Times.

Delivering the third in a planned series of 10 speeches across Taiwan, Lai addressed a Lions Clubs International banquet in Hsinchu, where he outlined external threats posed by China and emphasised Taiwan's sovereign identity.

According to the Taipei Times, Lai said that on June 21, the Taiwanese military detected 12 Chinese aircraft, eight of which entered Taiwanese airspace, as well as six Chinese warships operating around the nation.

Beyond direct military intimidation, Lai said Taiwan also faces "identity warfare" from China,...