Some scholars in Taiwan would say that such language is important and that Mr. Lai has crossed a dangerous line. Others say China's hatred of him is already entrenched and his speech merely provided a rhetorical justification for the latest threats.
Most people agree that this does not change the basic fact that Xi Jinping wants China to control Taiwan, and the Taiwanese people emphatically do not.
This is the new standard
But no one in Taiwan is particularly surprised. To them, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is rather predictable. When Mr. Lai's Democratic Progressive Party won its third consecutive presidential election here in early January, many wondered when and how China would react.
The obvious assumption was that it would be after Mr Lai's first presidential address began his term. Four days after President Lai's inauguration, Beijing issued a response.
The main clue that none of this is voluntary lies in the preparation. No army, not even the PLA, can mobilize training on this scale in a matter of days.
Also noteworthy is that China has repeatedly crossed the Central Line, an unofficial border that so far lies about 50 nautical miles from either coast. However, none have yet passed through the confluence area, which lies about 24 miles off the coast of Taiwan. This can be seen as a massive expansion. And this suggests that despite its aggressive rhetoric, China remains cautious.
On the streets of Taipei, the reaction to the training was a collective shrug. Many people will say they are not worried. But that's not true. Living next to China is like living in an earthquake zone. Threats are always present and training gets bigger and more dangerous, so you have to be prepared. But you also have to move on with your life.
Despite the hostile relationship between Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition party, which bickered in parliament last week, China's training has brought all parties together. The opposition KMT, traditionally seen as pro-Beijing, urged China to exercise restraint. Now is not the time to appear friendly to Beijing.
There is a strange irony here. This shows how little the Chinese Communist Party leaders understand Taiwan and its people.
They declared that military operations were focused solely on “deterring and defeating independence forces.”
Whenever China makes a military threat, support for the Democratic Progressive Party tends to increase, and support for the 'China-friendly' Kuomintang tends to fall. A more recent example is the months-long military incursion ahead of the January election that catapulted Mr Lai to the top job.
If the goal is to scare the Taiwanese people and make them turn away from political parties and leaders challenging China, it seems to be having the opposite effect so far.
