Taiwan’s Lai urges regional democracies to strengthen deterrence while backing dialogue

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has called for Indo-Pacific democracies to work together to preserve peace across the Taiwan Strait. In his National Day address on Saturday, he defended higher military spending as a way to deter war and welcomed dialogue between Washington and Beijing to reduce the risk of conflict.

Military pressure and resilience

Lai said China continued to apply military and “grey-zone” pressure to alter the status quo. He set out plans to strengthen asymmetric defence and use Taiwan’s semiconductor, communications and precision-manufacturing strengths to support its defence industry. He also described work intended to keep energy, transport, financial and healthcare systems functioning in a crisis.

Deterrence alongside talks

The speech did not announce an imminent conflict or a new operation. Lai argued that stronger defence would give Taipei a firmer basis for dialogue. He welcomed US–China engagement but insisted that any durable settlement respect the Taiwanese people’s right to decide their future. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force. AP reported that Taiwan’s defence ministry counted 21 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around the island in the 24 hours to Saturday morning; those movements are a separate reported snapshot, not evidence that the speech caused a new escalation.

The strategic test

Lai’s appeal will matter if it changes practical support from regional partners or if US–China talks lower military risk without marginalising Taipei. Saturday’s address states Taiwan’s position; it is neither a defence pact nor an agreement with Beijing. The photograph is explicitly archival and shows last year’s National Day ceremony.