“The people of Taiwan are determined to protect our hard-earned freedoms and democracy,” President Tsai Ing-wen told a security forum on Wednesday, as she directed a veiled accusation at Beijing for trying to polarize the island’s civil society with misinformation ahead of crucial elections next year.
“We must remain steadfast in our defense of freedoms and democracy,” Tsai told researchers, former foreign officials and diplomats gathered for the Taipei Security Dialogue.
The annual conference is hosted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, a government think tank in the Taiwanese capital. This year’s theme was “China and the Challenge to the Global Order and Democracy”.
“Perhaps the most pressing threat to these values comes from authoritarian regimes,” Tsai said.
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Taiwan holds nuclear emergency drill as mainland Chinese planes enter island’s air defense zone
Taiwan holds nuclear emergency drill as mainland Chinese planes enter island’s air defense zone
Taiwan has been shoring up its defenses, Tsai said, citing the reintroduction of a year’s mandatory military service for all Taiwanese, reorganization of the island’s military structure, launch of its first indigenous submarine prototype in September and increases in its defense budget.
Relations across the Taiwan Strait, which began to deteriorate after Tsai’s independence-leaning party came to power in 2016, have worsened in recent years as her administration leans ever closer to the United States.
Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sends fighter jets and ships around Taiwan almost every day, with the Taiwanese military scrambling its own aircraft in response. The PLA has over the past year also launched major live-fire exercises around Taiwan and simulated precision strikes against targets on the self-ruled island.
Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, and has refused repeatedly to rule out taking it back by force. While most countries, including the US, do not view Taiwan as independent, they are opposed to any use of force by Beijing.
Taiwan’s defense budget has grown by over 55 per cent over the past decade, as perceived cross-strait threats intensify. In August, the 2024 government budget proposed to set aside a record NT$606.7 billion (US$19.5 billion) for the defense ministry. The amount, equal to almost 2.5 per cent of the island’s gross domestic product, represents the highest defense budget in 10 years in nominal terms and needs to be approved by the legislature.
Taiwan’s military must objectively assess PLA then ‘strengthen ourselves’
At the forum, Tsai also highlighted threats faced by Taiwan from disinformation, adding her government fights this by publicly refuting false information.
“Authoritarian actors’ cognitive warfare, in the form of mis- and/or disinformation, attempts to exploit and drive polarization in our free and democratic society,” she said.
Underscoring Taiwan’s connections to other democracies, Tsai said the island is a “responsible member of the international community”.
“With democracies around the world facing their greatest tests in a generation, it is crucial that we come together in deterring adventurism and aggression in the region to ensure a peaceful future and the continuation of our shared values,” she added.
Beijing has doubled down on its efforts to reduce Taiwan’s presence on the international stage since Tsai, who completes her second and final term next year, first took office in 2016.
Nine countries have since then switched allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing, leaving the island with just 13 diplomatic allies. Under the respective interpretations of “one China” by Taiwan and Beijing, foreign states can only recognize one or the other, not both.
Taiwan leader says ‘peace is the only option’, as Tsai Ing-wen eyes legacy
