Taiwan President calls for peace but urges stronger defences

AWANI

Marking one year in office, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said the island seeks peace and dialogue with China but must continue strengthening its defences in case Beijing uses force.

Transcript

00:00Welcome back. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-teh says the island is open to talks with China

00:06but must continue strengthening its defenses in case Beijing uses military force to assert

00:12its sovereignty claim. Marking one year in office, Lai delivered a message of peace

00:17even as China continues to label him a separatist and rejects his repeated offers for talks.

00:22The Taiwanese government had earlier warned that Beijing might mark the anniversary with military

00:30drills. Lai highlights that preparing for war is the best way to avoid it, adding that Taiwan would

00:37continue procuring arms from abroad, develop its domestic arms industry and work closely with

00:42allies to boost deterrence. Over the last few years, China has stepped up military drills around Taiwan

00:49in a seeming beat to intimidate or exert pressure on the island. Last month, it held War Games

00:55codename Straight Thunder 2025A near the island, with the A at the end implying there could be more to

01:02come. Taiwan's Defense Ministry also reported that in the past 24 hours, six Chinese military

01:08aircraft and 11 naval vessels were detected near the island.

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