No room for compromise on Taiwan's security — president

There is no room for compromise when it comes to Taiwan's security, while freedom and democracy are core foundational values that have nothing to do with ideological disputes, President Lai Ching-te told army reservists on Tuesday.

Lai last week announced a $40 billion supplementary defence budget to underscore Taiwan's determination to defend itself against a rising military threat from China, which claims the democratically-governed island as its own territory.

Speaking to reservists in the northeastern county of Yilan, Lai said that in the face of China's coercion and harassment the government had to spend more on its defences and better prepare for should the worst come to pass.

"National security allows absolutely no room for compromise. National sovereignty and the core values of freedom and democracy are the very foundation of our nation," he added.

"They are not about ideological disputes; they are the common position of all the people of Taiwan."

Taiwan must rely on strength in order to obtain true peace, Lai said.

"Peace cannot be achieved merely through a piece of paper called a peace agreement, nor can it - nor will it ever - be achieved by yielding to the demands of an aggressor," he added.

"Even when engaging in reconciliation, we must have strong power as our backing in order to protect the overall interests of the nation. Without sufficient strength as support, so-called reconciliation will ultimately degenerate into surrender."

Taiwan's government announced in 2021 a reform of the training of its reserve forces, including doubling down on combat and shooting exercises, and the following year extended compulsory military service to one year from the previous four months.

Lai saw the reservists flying drones, firing guns, throwing grenades, and applying tourniquets to comrades during training.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai and his government reject Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

-Ann Wang,Ben Blanchard/Reuters