The president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, has taken advantage of this Saturday's commemoration of National Day to reiterate that the reinforcement of the island's Defense capabilities has the main objective of deterring a war and preventing a conflict with China, and not provoking an escalation, while accusing Beijing of coercion and thanking the channels of dialogue opened with the United States.
From Taipei, Lai has again denounced China's constant pressure in the so-called "gray zones" around Taiwan, a tactic he has described as a calculated plan to modify the status quo in the strait. In this scenario, he has insisted that Taiwan must continue to strengthen its resilience in key areas such as infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications, while calling for greater involvement from the international community.
"China continues to apply pressure through military activities and gray zones in an attempt to alter the status quo with Taiwan. The outcome is not just a matter of our own survival amid such authoritarian expansion; it is about whether the international community still believes that force should not outweigh rules and that the powerful cannot stop people from their rights to determine their future," he stated.
In this context, the Taiwanese leader has emphasized that strengthening Defense does not exclude dialogue with Beijing, but aims to guarantee it "with dignity and parity," so that Taiwan can "value peace without renouncing its freedom."
At the same time, Lai has stressed that Taipei welcomes that Beijing and Washington resort to dialogue to manage their strategic rivalry and minimize the risk of a direct clash. However, he has criticized China's "attempt to distort" the historical narrative about World War II and has emphasized that the rights of the Taiwanese people must be safeguarded.
"Thanks to the United States and China for managing their competition through dialogue and reducing the risk of conflict. But we must also highlight that maintaining regional security, peace, and stability requires a correct understanding of how history has evolved. There should be no tolerance for distorting the history of World War II. There must be respect for the right of the peoples of Taiwan to exist," he clarified.
Economic boost and social agenda
In another part of his speech, Lai has focused on the economic evolution of the country and has highlighted that the growth of the first semester has reached a "historic" 14%, which, he indicated, places Taiwan among the most competitive economies on the planet.
The president has also announced a package of social welfare measures and support for households that includes improving wages, specific assistance for access to housing, and a program of universal payments and social incentives aimed at addressing Taiwan's very low birth rate, one of the lowest in the world.
"We are taking a pragmatic approach to governance, promoting higher wages and lower rates, so that each individual can stay safe and live well. And to address the declining birth rate, (on this) we are building our national agreements. Supporting a family is securing the future of Taiwan," he declared.
The housing policy has also occupied a central place in his intervention. Lai has promised that his Executive will "alleviate" the tensions in the real estate market by constructing one million homes in the territory.
"The houses we are going to build are not only necessary for us to succeed in our careers, but also for young people to be able to take their breaks," he clarified.
Coinciding with the thirtieth anniversary of the first democratic elections on the island, the leader has called on the population to consolidate Taiwan as a global model. During his speech, he argued that economic dynamism must translate into greater social welfare, with better working conditions, more attention to the elderly, and new opportunities for youth.