Taipei, July 8 (IANS) National Endowment for Democracy President and CEO Damon Wilson has said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a big challenge to democracy and accused it of using political, economic and technological tools to reshape the global order as per its own interests, local media reported on Wednesday.

In his address at China In The World (CITW) Summit in Taipei on Tuesday, Wilson said that China's negative influence has been a key driver of 20-year consecutive decline in global freedoms, political rights and civil liberties. He called China "an anti-democratic superpower" deeply entrenched in the world's economy, advanced technologies and critical supply chains, Taiwan-based Taipei Times reported.

Wilson accused China of increasing its influence by establishing new international institutions while using political, economic, technological and information tools to reshape the global order according to its own interests. He stated that the CCP has far-reaching goals, citing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s repeated statement that "the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century."

He said that China needs partners to expand its influence as it uses corruption networks, transnational repression, media manipulation and economic coercion to weaken democratic resilience. He accused CCP of using “gray zone” tactics to weaken the will of people of Taiwan, with a goal to divide societies, erode confidence of the people and convince the free world that authoritarian rule is inevitable.

He said that Taiwan has demonstrated that democracy can continue to thrive even under sustained pressure due to its resilient institutions, vibrant society, technological innovation and resolve of its people, Taipei Times reported.

China maintains that Taiwan is a part of its territory and needs to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Despite China's efforts, Taiwan, backed by strong public support, continues to assert its sovereignty and responds to China's incursions.

Earlier in June, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called on China to stop its military expansion in the South and East China Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and any use of force against the island.

During a reception for foreign correspondents in Taipei, Lai Ching-te expressed Taiwan's willingness to engage in exchanges and cooperation based on equality and dignity, in pursuit of peaceful and mutually beneficial development, Taipei Times reported.

Lai Ching-te said Taiwan held its elections 30 years back despite missile threats from China, sending a message to the international community that sovereignty rests with the people and that only 23 million people of Taiwan can decide its future. He stated that China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other and Taiwan is not part of China, Taipei Times reported.

--IANS

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