Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday that Taiwan’s efforts to safeguard its security and reject governance by China’s Communist Party should not be viewed as provocative, while expressing hope that a new U.S. arms sales package would receive approval in the near future.
Democratically governed Taiwan is claimed by China as part of its territory, and Beijing has intensified military activities and diplomatic pressure against the island in recent years.
Speaking to the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Taipei, Lai reiterated his desire for talks based on “parity and respect” with China, but said Taiwan had a right to protect its interests and that only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.
China calls Lai a separatist and has rebuffed his multiple offers of dialogue.
China’s Growing Military Pressure
China’s military is extending into the Western Pacific, and its various forms of coercion continue to intensify, Lai said.
Taiwan has also been unnerved by comments last month from U.S. President Donald Trump after he met China’s Xi Jinping in Beijing that he was still considering whether to approve new arms sales for Taiwan, saying they were “a very good negotiating chip” with China.
Lai said the U.S. security commitment to Taiwan has not changed.
Arms Sales
“The key is that Taiwan must not change course in strengthening its own defence capabilities, nor can it slow its pace,” Lai said.
“We will continue to maintain close communication with the U.S. government, and we also hope the arms purchases can be approved as soon as possible.”
Lai has championed increased defence spending, in line with calls from Trump for allies to spend more on their military.
However, last month Taiwan’s opposition dominated parliament only approved two-thirds of the $40 billion supplementary defence budget Lai had proposed, cutting the part that had been meant for drones and domestically produced weapons.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said it was proposing another special defence package worth T$210 billion ($6.66 billion) for surveillance, coastal attack and small unmanned surface drones.
Lai said China should renounce the use of force, and that Taiwan’s weapons purchases send an important message to the world that it is willing to defend itself.
Taiwan “is willing to safeguard its own national security, and is also willing to share collective defence responsibilities with the international community, in order to create a deterrent effect and achieve regional peace and stability”.
(With inputs from Reuters)
