Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

Recently, Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te has been widely promoting his "10 lectures on unity" across the island. Judging from the four already delivered "lectures," they are nothing but absurd fallacies with extremely provocative and vile content. A spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office pointed out that Lai's lectures blatantly peddled the fallacies of "Taiwan independence" and attempted to create grounds to concoct an "independence" narrative. The lectures are not only Lai's separatist monology, but also a candid revelation of his desire to consolidate power and pursue "dictatorship."

First, it is clear that the lectures aim to push for a "mass recall" campaign - the goal of the recall efforts is to flip the Legislative Yuan to control by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) - to realize a "Lai-style dictatorship." The "10 lectures" are part of the DPP pre-planned strategy for this mass recall. 

In fact, Lai refuses to accept the fact that the DPP is a minority authority, and what he truly seeks is to completely wipe out the opposition. To put it bluntly, Lai's goal is to let the DPP dominate Taiwan's legislative authority - achieving one-party rule under his command, or "Lai-style dictatorship." Lai has clearly descended into political madness, willing to pay any price to achieve this goal. Ignoring public opposition and stirring up fierce partisan conflict, he has mobilized the power of the administration, judiciary and media under his control to tie the entire island to the "mass recall" campaign by giving the "10 lectures."

Second, in terms of content, the "10 lectures" expose Lai's dictatorial mind-set. In his second lecture, Lai claims that "just like striking iron or forging a sword - you must keep hammering to drive out all the impurities, until all that's left is an iron will to defend our sovereignty and safeguard our democracy." This statement has sparked fierce backlash in Taiwan society.

Lai's words reveal that he sees the 60 percent of voters who didn't vote for him as threats or dissenters to be eliminated - along with the political parties they support. What Lai truly wants to "unify" is the pro-independence forces and those indoctrinated by DPP propaganda - to consolidate his base of supporters. Lai's rhetoric of "impurities" stands in stark opposition to mainstream public opinion on the island and reflects his ruthless determination to suppress opposition voters and create a climate of fear in which "those who obey Lai prosper, those who oppose Lai perish."

Third, regarding the logic, these lectures seek to disguise "dictatorship" under the name of "democracy." Since the launch of the 10-lecture event, everything Lai has said and done can be summed up as he has "the final say on everything." With shameless revisionism, Lai distorts history, refusing to acknowledge the undeniable historical, legal and objective fact that Taiwan is part of China. He also glorifies colonial rule and twists the history of World War II.

What's more ironic is that Lai's version of Taiwan's history and "Taiwan's choices" are promoted under the banner of "democracy." The "10 lectures" incite confrontation across the Taiwan Straits, attempt to confuse public opinion on the island, stir up populist sentiment and rob the people of their right and freedom to know the truth. Lai has thoroughly reduced the concept of "democracy" into a tool for suppressing dissent and realizing his dictatorial ambitions.

When the fig leaf of the "10 lectures" is torn away, what is exposed is Lai's "dream of dictatorship." Four of his absurd and sinister "lectures" have already been delivered. It is foreseeable that the remaining ones will continue to follow the same trajectory of provocation, confrontation, hatred and division. No matter how loud the voices of opposition grow, Lai will persist in his frantic rhetoric and keep using election manipulation and political discourse to package confrontation. This will escalate internal strife and exacerbate social polarization - ultimately forcing the people of Taiwan to foot the bill for his "dream of dictatorship."

The author is a research fellow at the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Studies of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn