Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te emphasized the island’s commitment to peace and dialogue with China while underscoring the necessity of strengthening its defenses, marking his one-year anniversary in office. Lai described himself as devoted to peace, stating, “Peace is priceless and war has no winners,” but asserted that Taiwan must prepare adequately for any potential conflict, emphasizing that such preparedness is crucial to preventing war. He rejected China’s sovereignty claims and insisted that decisions about Taiwan’s future should rest solely with its people.
Despite Lai’s overtures for negotiations, China has labeled him a “separatist” and has dismissed his calls for dialogue, heightening tensions. In response to ongoing military threats from Beijing, including recent drills around Taiwan, Lai reiterated that Taiwan welcomes exchanges with China, provided mutual respect exists. China’s defense ministry accused Lai of increasing hostilities and undermining regional stability.
Lai faces economic challenges as well, particularly regarding potential U.S. tariffs that are currently on hold. He reported that discussions with Washington are proceeding positively and announced plans to establish a sovereign wealth fund aimed at boosting Taiwan’s tech sector. This fund, he explained, would enhance national investment by leveraging Taiwan’s industrial strengths in partnership with private enterprises.
Lai attended the Computex trade show, featuring Taiwanese tech luminaries, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, where he interacted with industry leaders from notable companies like Foxconn and Mediatek. Notably, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported ongoing Chinese military activities, detecting multiple aircraft and vessels near the island, signaling a persistent threat from Beijing amidst escalating tensions.
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