TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Friday the government would build the “T-Dome” air defense system to provide multi-layered protection against enemy threats, and called on China to renounce the use of force to seize Taiwan.
Democratically governed Taiwan has faced increasing military and political pressure from China, which considers the island its own territory despite strong objections from the Taipei government.
Taiwan is increasing defense spending and modernizing its military, but it faces a China that has a much larger military and is adding advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles.
Lai said in his National Day speech that Taiwan is determined to spend more on defense and will propose a special budget for military spending later this year, demonstrating the government’s determination to protect the island.
“Increased defense spending has a purpose; it is a clear necessity to counter enemy threats and a driving force for the development of our defense industries,” he said.
“We will accelerate the construction of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defense system in Taiwan with multi-layer defense, high-level detection and effective interception, and weave a security network for Taiwan to protect the lives and properties of citizens,” Lai said, to applause from the crowd.
He added that China should renounce the use of force or coercion to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
There was no immediate reaction from Beijing to his speech. China says Lai is a “separatist” and has rejected his offers for talks.
(Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Michael Perry)