President Lai Ching-te today (8th) received a delegation from Boyle, the top Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, and expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Congress for its long-term and firm support for Taiwan. We also look forward to further deepening defense cooperation with the United States, gradually moving from military procurement to joint research and development and joint production, improving the resilience and capacity of the defense industries of both parties, and jointly making more contributions to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific.
Taiwan is located in a key position in the first island chain. It not only has a firm determination to safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait, but also firmly believes that only strength can ensure peace. In the future, it will continue to increase its defense budget, actively strengthen its self-defense capabilities, and looks forward to further deepening defense cooperation with the United States and jointly contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
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Lai Ching-de pointed out that in recent years, China has continued to use military operations, gray zone intrusions, long-arm jurisdiction, transnational suppression and other means against countries surrounding the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, South China Sea and the Western Pacific in an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo of the Taiwan Strait and undermine regional peace and stability; democratic countries should unite and cooperate closely to protect the democratic values and lives they depend on for survival.
He emphasized that Taiwan is located in a key position in the first island chain. We not only have a firm determination to safeguard peace across the Taiwan Strait; we also firmly believe that only strength can ensure peace. Therefore, in addition to continuing to increase the national defense budget and investing more resources to promote national defense independence, it also conducts external military procurement to actively strengthen self-defense capabilities and promote "whole-of-society defense resilience" to achieve the goal of military-civilian cooperation.
The President expressed his expectation to further deepen defense cooperation with the United States, gradually move from military procurement to joint research and development, and joint production, so as to enhance the resilience and capacity of the defense industries of both parties; especially in the construction of drones and anti-drone systems, the use of AI to assist military decision-making, and the improvement of logistics and combat effectiveness, there can be more cooperation, and jointly make more contributions to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific.
In his speech, Representative Boyle said that the three members of the delegation were all visiting Taiwan for the first time, and it was even more meaningful to be able to visit on the eve of Taiwan’s National Day. He also mentioned that the United States and Taiwan, and the American people and the people of Taiwan, have many things in common, because Taiwan's democracy has also gone through a period of development to reach where it is today. The people of the United States and Taiwan are closely connected by shared values, including a firm commitment to freedom and human rights. While the democratic systems on both sides may not be perfect, they remain a model worth emulating for those still fighting for freedom around the world, especially in parts of Asia.
Members of the visiting delegation also include U.S. House of Representatives Representatives Salinas and Kennedy.
Vice President Hsiao also met with Boyle, the top Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, and his delegation yesterday, emphasizing that Taiwan and the United States share the value of freedom and democracy and have common interests in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
