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Peace through strength, Taiwan president says on China battle anniversary
Lai said peace requires strength as Taiwan plans 2027 defense spending above T$1 trillion, citing continued Chinese pressure around Kinmen.
On Sunday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited the frontline island of Kinmen to mark the 68th anniversary of the 1958 clash, declaring that peace is only secured through strength.
The 1958 battle marked the start of the second Taiwan Strait crisis, the last time Taiwanese and Chinese forces battled on a large scale; Taiwan has controlled Kinmen and Matsu since the Republic of China government fled to Taipei in 1949.
Planned defense spending will exceed T$1 trillion in 2027, the government announced Thursday, as Lai emphasized the need to maintain national sovereignty through continuous military investment.
China's coast guard has conducted regular "law enforcement" patrols around Kinmen in Taiwan-controlled waters since early 2024, to Taipei's anger, while Beijing repeatedly denounces Lai as a "separatist."
Referring to Chinese tactics, Lai stated that for 68 years China has not stopped its "ambitions for external expansion," bringing "unease" across the Indo-Pacific, though Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty.