Taiwan President Lai Pledges Defense Boost Amid China Tensions

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te pledged on Sunday to bolster the island's defense capabilities and ensure national security in the coming year, delivering his message on the eve of the Lunar New Year amid heightened tensions with China. Speaking from a key military radar station in the central mountains, Lai emphasized the need to safeguard Taiwan against external threats, thanking the armed forces for their round-the-clock vigilance.

In the video message shared on his social media accounts, Lai highlighted Taiwan's progress in indigenous military development, including footage of the nation's first domestically built submarine undergoing sea trials. He committed to enhancing national defense and public security to maintain social stability, without extending traditional Lunar New Year greetings to China, which Beijing has repeatedly claimed as its territory and subjected to large-scale military exercises as recently as late December.

Lai's remarks come as his administration pushes for increased military spending to counter perceived aggression from Beijing. Last year, he proposed an additional 40 billion Taiwanese dollars for defense, aimed at acquiring advanced U.S. weapons...