Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te pledges to defend island's sovereignty : NPR
NPR••nation
Key Points:
- Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te pledged to defend Taiwan's sovereignty and strengthen national defense in response to China's recent military drills near the island.
- Lai emphasized building an effective deterrence and democratic defense mechanism amid China's "expansionist ambitions" and growing military pressure.
- China condemned Lai's stance, reiterating its claim over Taiwan and labeling him a "saboteur of peace" while opposing U.S. arms sales to the island.
- The U.S. plans to sell over $11 billion in advanced military equipment to Taiwan, fulfilling legal obligations to help Taiwan defend itself.
- Taiwan has allocated a special $40 billion budget over eight years for arms purchases, including an advanced air defense system, and aims to increase defense spending
