TAIPEI:  , Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday ( Jan 1 ) that the island must boost defence spending and “demonstrate its determination” to protect itself, in a New Year’s speech just weeks before Donald Trump takes office in the United States.
Self-ruled Taiwan is constantly at risk of being invaded by China, which claims the area as a part of its place and has resisted using force to take it under its control.
Washington has long been Taipei’s most significant supporter and largest provider of hands, but Trump’s interpersonal diplomatic maneuvers have raised questions about his willingness to defend the area.
In a speech delivered in front of writers at the Presidential Office Building, Lai said,” Taiwan must be prepared for harm in times of tranquility, continue to increase its defense expenditure, enhance its military capabilities, and show its dedication to protect the country.”
While Taiwan regards itself as a sovereign country, most states, including the United States, have severed established diplomatic relations with the area in favour of Beijing.
However, some governments maintain close, illegal ties to Taipei, which has grown to be a force in the semiconductor industry.
Trump’s election campaign shook people’s minds, suggesting Taiwan may pay for shelter and accusing Taiwan of stealing the US chip market.
Taipei’s defense has increased in recent years, but the island’s 23 million residents also rely greatly on US arms sales as a deterrent to Beijing.
Lai has pressed the approaching US leadership to support the region’s commitment to investing more in its own defense.
But he is struggling to push his administration’s budget, which includes report defence spending, through congress, which is controlled by opposition functions.
Lai said in Wednesday’s talk that “protecting Taiwan’s politics and safety is everyone’s duty”.
” We must share every ounce of our strength to increase our whole-of-society defence resilience, develop skills that you respond to large-scale tragedies and deter threats and attacks”, he said.
In a New Year’s target on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that” no one can stop” Taiwan’s unity.
On both sides of the Taiwan Strait, Chinese people are one home. No one can break our blood relationships, and no one can reverse the historical tendency of motherland reconciliation, Xi said in a conversation aired on state media.
Since Lai came to power in May, China has mounted three sessions of significant defense exercises against Taiwan.
After losing a civil war to Mao Zedong’s socialist soldiers, Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist causes fled to Taiwan in 1949.