In the past few years, China has continuously carried out “gray zone” harassment and military intimidation in the Taiwan Strait, seriously undermining regional peace and stability, Lai said. President William Lai speaks during a meeting with the Taiwanese Hakka Federation of Asia at the Presidential Office in Taipei on Thursday. History shows that compromising with authoritarian regimes comes at the cost of sovereignty and democracy — it will not bring freedom, nor will it bring peace,” Lai said. Peace is achieved through strength, and strength is achieved through long-term, stable investment, he said. Delays weaken Taiwan’s defense capabilities and risk undermining international confidence in its commitment to self-defense, he said.

Source: Taipei Times April 10, 2026 17:13 UTC