Taiwan president: Peace requires strengthening defense, not yielding territory

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te emphasized the critical need for a robust national defense to ensure peace, stating that "peace can only be maintained by not ceding an inch" of territory. Speaking at a commemoration of the 1958 Battle of Kinmen, Lai warned that "even if the world is at peace, forgetting war is dangerous."

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peace can only be maintained by not ceding an inch of Taiwan, or the peripheral archipelagos of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, and by continuously strengthening national defense through corresponding investment, can peace be guaranteed.

Lai urged both the ruling and opposition parties to support a record military budget for 2027, which his government presented this week. The proposed budget of 1.12 trillion Taiwanese dollars (approximately $35.3 billion) represents an 18% increase and includes funds for advanced capabilities like drones and missiles. He invoked the "spirit of the anti-communist movement of August 23" as a reason for unity in defense.

The president directly linked military strength to peace, citing the historical resistance on the Kinmen islands as "the best proof that peace is guaranteed by strength." He accused China of persistent "external expansionist ambitions" and noted its "gray zone" incursions in waters around Kinmen, as well as "military provocations" extending to the first island chain and the Indo-Pacific region.

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even if the world is at peace, forgetting war is dangerous.

The proposed budget faces a challenging path through the Legislative Yuan, where the opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party hold a majority. The increased spending is driven not only by Beijing's military pressure but also by Washington's insistence that Taipei invest more in its own defense.

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the victory in the August 23 Campaign is the best proof that peace is guaranteed by strength.