President Lai: Taiwan’s defense must deter war — Al Jazeera

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said in a National Day address in Taipei that increased investment in defense is intended to deter war, not provoke it. Taiwan, he said, seeks peace but will not give up its freedom or accept subordination to another side, Al Jazeera reports.

Record defense budget

Lai’s government has allocated a record 1.1 trillion New Taiwan dollars, or $34.5 billion, for defense in 2027. This amounts to more than 3% of the island’s gross domestic product.

Before the address, Taiwanese fighter jets and two Chinook helicopters carrying large Taiwanese flags flew over the capital. The speech was delivered before thousands of people, including foreign diplomats.

Pressure from Beijing

Lai said that China is increasing pressure through military activity and “gray-zone” actions in an attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He stressed that peace cannot be based solely on wishes and that tolerance must not allow an aggressor to advance further and further.

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Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, has not renounced the use of force to seize the island, and calls Lai a “separatist.” The Chinese side has also rejected his proposals for talks.

The Taiwanese president welcomed talks between the United States and China but said they must include respect for the right of Taiwan’s residents to exist. He also called on Indo-Pacific democracies to unite to preserve peace and stability.

The United States remains Taiwan’s most important security supporter, although nearly 50 years ago Washington switched official diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing. Taiwan is awaiting U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval of $14 billion in arms supplies, including Patriot air defense systems.