Taiwan vows to defend sovereignty after China's military drill

In a New Year's address broadcast live from the presidential office in Taipei, Lai said the world was watching to see whether Taiwanese people had the determination to protect themselves as Beijing steps up what he described as expanding military pressure.

“As president, my position has always been clear: we will steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty and reinforce national defence,” Lai said.

He added that China’s recent drills had treated Taiwan’s newly enhanced combat capabilities as a “hypothetical adversary, which he said underlined the need for greater defence procurement.

Lai urged opposition parties to back his proposal to increase defence spending by US$40 billion, a plan that has become entangled in a broader political stalemate in Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament.

Asked about a US assessment that China is working towards having the capability to prevail in a conflict over Taiwan by 2027, Lai said the question of whether Beijing could meet its timetable was one issue, but that Taiwan needed to be prepared regardless.

He described 2026 as a pivotal year for Taiwan, saying the island must “plan for the worst while hoping for the best.

At the same time, Lai said Taiwan was open to engagement with China on an “equal and dignified” footing, calling for dialogue and cooperation aimed at maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait, but only if Beijing recognises the Republic of China’s existence and respects the Taiwanese people’s commitment to a democratic and free way of life.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claim.

After Lai’s speech, China accused him of attempting to mislead both Taiwanese citizens and international opinion.

A spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, quoted by state broadcaster CCTV, said Lai’s address was full of lies and irresponsible claims, and criticised what Beijing called a hostile tone.

Lai’s remarks came two days after China launched exercises dubbed “Justice Mission 2025.

During the drills, China fired dozens of rockets towards Taiwan and deployed a large number of warships and aircraft near the island in a show of force that raised concern among Western partners, including the European Commission and Britain.

Taipei condemned the manoeuvres as a threat to regional security and a blatant provocation.

Beijing announced late on Wednesday that the drills had ended, while saying its armed forces would continue to strengthen combat readiness.

China’s President Xi Jinping echoed previous warnings in his own New Year message on Wednesday night, reiterating that what Beijing calls “reunification” with Taiwan cannot be stopped and criticising forces it labels separatist.

Taiwan said the latest exercises were China’s largest in terms of covered area and the closest yet to the island, prompting the cancellation of dozens of domestic commercial flights.

Taiwan also scrambled military aircraft and dispatched naval vessels to track the Chinese activity.

The Chinese drills began 11 days after the United States announced a record US$11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan.

China’s military said for the first time that the exercises were intended to deter outside intervention.

Reuters