Taiwan would develop a more competitive defense industry to become a trustworthy partner for allies in safeguarding regional peace and stability, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during a meeting with foreign representatives attending this year’s Taipei Security Dialogue.
The nation is to continue to bolster its defense capabilities, develop its asymmetric warfare capacity and build an intelligent defense combat system, in addition to improving whole-of-society resilience, Lai said.
He also reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2030.
Photo: CNA
Lai made the remarks during his meeting with former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and other guests from the US, the UK, Germany, Australia, Denmark and Latvia. He was accompanied by National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and Institute for National Defense and Security Research chairman Huo Shou-ye (霍守業).
Global order faces severe challenges due to the continuous expansion of authoritarianism and rapid technological development, testing the unity and responsiveness of the democratic camp, Lai said, adding that the Taipei Security Dialogue is “exceptionally important.”
This year’s theme, “Integrated Deterrence: Maintaining Indo-Pacific Peace through Strength,” focused on the international situation, impact of emerging technology, bolstering social resilience and Taiwan’s strategic role, he said.
It is not just an academic exchange, but a crucial opportunity for like-minded nations to collaborate on challenges and pursue peace, Lai said.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) in his closing speech at the dialogue on Wednesday said that China poses the greatest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region.
China’s political development has shown three extreme trends since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) took power, Chiu said.
First, China is shifting to highly centralized leadership, or even one-man rule, from collective leadership, increasing the risk of erroneous policymaking, he said.
Second, Beijing is pursuing “fanatic nationalism,” military hegemony, “wolf-warrior diplomacy” and the militarization of the South China Sea, while suppressing democracy in Hong Kong, increasing pressure on Taiwan and expanding its global influence through its Belt and Road Initiative, Chiu said.
Third, Xi is seeking to legitimize his prolonged tenure by setting unifying with Taiwan and replacing the US as goals for the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he said.
China has become a “new totalitarian” state, applying pressure on Taiwan through military threats, diplomatic isolation, economic coercion, social infiltration, legal warfare and cognitive warfare, Chiu said.
Beijing poses the largest threat to the “status quo” of peace and stability in Taiwan Strait and the Asia-Pacific region, he said, adding that “peace in the Taiwan Strait is a key to maintaining world security and prosperity.”
Taiwan is at the core of the first island chain, and 50 percent of the world’s container ships must sail through the Taiwan Strait, making it vital in maintaining a peaceful and prosperous international order, Chiu said.
The nation is also a global high-tech center, manufacturing 90 percent of the world’s advanced computer chips, making it an indispensable partner in the high-tech supply chain, he added.
Taiwan is a mature and free democracy that could inspire people in China who share the same cultural and linguistic background to pursue freedom and a better life, Chiu said.
Maintaining security and peace in the Taiwan Strait is of vital interest to every country, he said, adding that a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency.
The US, Japan, the EU, the UK, Canada and Australia have expressed concern for peace and stability in the Strait, Chiu said.
A consensus has been reached among the international community on how to work together to curb China’s expansionist ambitions, and preserve cross-strait and regional peace and prosperity, he added.
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