Taiwan leader vows 'no compromise' on freedom, democracy

Taiwan's leader warned Beijing that the island would never give up its democratic way of life in a national day speech in which she drew parallels with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The self-ruled democracy's 23 million people live under the constant threat of invasion by China's Communist Party, and Moscow's war in Ukraine has deepened fears that Beijing might attempt something similar with the island.

In her speech, President Tsai Ing-wen compared Moscow's invasion to Beijing's goal of one day taking control of Taiwan -- which it has vowed to do, by force if necessary.

"We absolutely cannot ignore the challenge that these military expansions pose to the free and democratic world order," she said.

"The destruction of Taiwan's democracy and freedom would be a grave defeat for the world's democracies," she added.

Taiwan and China split at the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

China's President Xi Jinping has ramped up diplomatic, economic and military pressure on Taipei in recent years and is a key ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Xi, China's most authoritarian leader in a generation, is on the cusp of securing a third term later this month and has made taking Taiwan a key plank of his landmark "national rejuvenation" project.

But Tsai said becoming part of China was not acceptable to people in Taiwan, which has become a progressive democracy with a distinct Taiwanese identity.