Lai urges unity on national defensePERCEPTION: The opposition’s boycotting of the defense budget sends a worrying message to friendly nations about Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense, Lai saidStaff writer, with CNAPresident William Lai (賴清德), in his New Year’s Day address yesterday, urged the opposition parties to put national security before partisan politics and swiftly pass a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.76 billion) special defense budget amid China’s “rising expansionary ambitions.”“As president, my position has always been clear: to staunchly defend national sovereignty, strengthen national defense, and enhance whole-of-society defense and resilience, and to comprehensively establish robust deterrence and democratic defense mechanisms,” Lai said in the address titled “Island of Resilience — Light of Hope.”To that end, Lai said that his administration has drafted legal revisions aimed at bolstering national security, and has proposed the special defense budget to strengthen Taiwan’s overall defense posture over the next eight years and boost the domestic weapons manufacturing industry. People take pictures in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday before the annual New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony. President William Lai, center, waves a Republic of China flag at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. “Therefore, I very much hope that the opposition parties will allow this budget to pass, to enable us to better protect this country and its people,” he said. Photo: CNA“I hope that the ruling and opposition parties will demonstrate unity,” he said.

Source: Taipei Times January 01, 2026 17:30 UTC