Taiwan vows to defend sovereignty after China's military drill

TAIPEI: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday the island is determined to defend its sovereignty and boost its defence in the face of China's increasing expansion, after Beijing fired rockets towards the island as part of military drills.

The international community is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people possess the resolve to defend themselves, Lai said in a New Year's speech broadcast live from the presidential office in Taipei.

Lai urged opposition parties to support his proposal to boost Taiwan's defence spending by $40 billion, a proposal currently stuck alongside others in a political deadlock in the opposition-controlled parliament.

"Whether China can achieve its goals on schedule is one thing," Lai said when asked about a U.S. report saying China was preparing to have the capability to win a fight for Taiwan by 2027.

"The coming year, 2026, will be a crucial one for Taiwan," he said, adding Taiwan must "make plans for the worst, but hope for the best."

"We are willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China on an equal and dignified basis, promoting a peaceful and shared environment across the strait," Lai said. "As long as China acknowledges the existence of the Republic of China, respects the Taiwanese people's desire for a democratic and free way of life."

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, and it has not ruled out using force to take it under Chinese control. Taiwan rejects China's claims.

Lai's speech came just two days after the Chinese exercises named "Justice Mission 2025". China fired dozens of rockets towards Taiwan and deploy a large number of warships and aircraft near island in a show of force that drew concern from Western allies including the European Commission and Britain.

Taipei condemned the drills as a threat to regional security and a blatant provocation. Beijing announced late on Wednesday that it had completed the drills, saying its military would continue to strengthen their combat-readiness.

China's President Xi Jinping struck a familiar tone on Taiwan in his New Year's address late on Wednesday, repeating last year's warning to what Beijing considers as separatist forces that China's "reunification" with Taiwan can not be stopped.

The drills, China's largest by area and the closest yet to Taiwan, forced the island to cancel dozens of domestic commercial flights and dispatch military jets and warships to monitor the exercises.

The Chinese manoeuvres began 11 days after the United States had announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan. China's military said for the first time that the drills were aimed at deterring outside intervention.