self-governing

The second round of drills - titled Joint Sword 2024B - came days after Lai pledged to uphold Taiwan's self-governing status during a national day speech on 10 October.

China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its own and its president Xi Jinping has vowed to retake it by force if necessary.

China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its own and President Xi has said “reunification is inevitable”, vowing to retake it by force if necessary.

President William Lai has pledged to uphold Taiwan's self-governing status in his most high-profile public address since taking office earlier this year.

His former colleague and close friend Stuart Gulleford described Mr Titford as "a visionary and a democrat, who did not believe that EU membership provided a viable future for Britain as an independent, self-governing nation".