China's 'growing authoritarianism' poses a global challenge, Taiwan's President Lai warns

• "We are all fully aware that China's growing authoritarianism will not stop with Taiwan, nor is Taiwan the only target of China's economic pressures," said Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te.
• "It's now a challenge at the global level," Lai emphasized, calling for countries to cooperate and curtail China's efforts. 

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has cautioned that China's "growing authoritarianism" will not stop with the island, and that it poses a challenge at the "global level."

Lai was speaking at the annual Ketagalan Forum, a dialogue focusing on security issues in the Indo-Pacific. It was attended by representatives from several countries including the U.S., India, Japan, Australia and Canada.

"We are all fully aware that China's growing authoritarianism will not stop with Taiwan, nor is Taiwan the only target of China's economic pressures," Lai said, adding that this authoritarianism is becoming "more aggressive."

"It's now a challenge at the global level," Lai emphasized, calling for countries to cooperate and curtail China's efforts. 

His comments come as China has been ramping up military activity in the South China Sea.

"China intends to change the rules-based international order. That is why democratic countries must come together and take concrete action," the Taiwanese president said.

Last weekend, China's Ministry of Transport said it carried out a maritime patrol and law enforcement operation in the Taiwan Straits aimed at "enhancing traffic management and emergency rescue capabilities."

In May, after Lai was sworn in, China's military conducted two days of drills around Taiwan as an act of "punishment" to the island's "separatist acts."

Tensions between China and the Philippines have also been escalating in