Taiwan president rejects Chinese rule, calls for talks to coexist

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President William Lai Ching-te attend the inauguration ceremony at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, Taiwan May 20, 2020. Makoto Lin/Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan cannot accept becoming part of China under its "one country, two systems" offer of autonomy, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday, in a strong rejection of China's sovereignty claim, but called for talks so that both sides could coexist.

In a speech after being sworn in for her second and final term in office, Tsai said relations between Taiwan and China had reached an historical turning point.