Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) yesterday reaffirmed the government’s efforts to bolster national security amid rising threats from China and underscored its commitment to maintaining the “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait.
“Taiwan does not live in a vacuum. We operate at the center of one of the world’s most dynamic and contested geopolitical environments,” Hsiao said in live-streamed remarks delivered in front of dozens of foreign correspondents and foreign office personnel in Taipei.
Pressure from China, in the form of military escalations, “gray zone” activities and economic coercion, has only intensified since President William Lai (賴清德) took office in May last year, she said.
Photo: I-Hwa Cheng, AFP
At the same time, Taiwan continues to navigate an increasingly volatile world marked by ongoing conflicts, trade tensions and disruptive innovations driven by artificial intelligence, while also grappling with internal challenges, such as an aging society, climate shocks and domestic political competition, Hsiao said.
To deter Chinese threats, the government has undertaken efforts to “reform and integrate” Taiwan’s national defense strategy — an approach “rooted in both military modernization and the resilience of our society at large,” she said.
The military is building “a force that is capable, credible and responsive” by enhancing its asymmetric capabilities and joint operations, and improving the training of all forces, Hsiao said.
However, “modern security threats do not stop at the battlefield,” she said, citing ongoing hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, supply chain disruptions and economic coercion.
The latest Han Kuang military drills, conducted alongside urban resilience exercises, reflected the government’s “integrated” efforts to bolster national deterrence while also reinforcing public resilience, she added.
On cross-strait relations, Hsiao reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to maintaining the “status quo.”
“Defending the ‘status quo’ is our choice, not because it is easy, but because it is responsible and consistent with the interest of our entire region,” Hsiao said, adding that the Lai administration remains open to engaging with China on terms of parity and respect.
However, she described China’s “aggressive military posturing” as “counterproductive,” and said Beijing’s attempts to “infiltrate, sabotage and divide [Taiwanese] society” were undermining the “status quo.”
Despite external and internal challenges, Taiwan “is not a passive actor,” she said.
“We are not only reactive — we are shaping our future through partnership, innovation and democratic resolve,” she added.
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