Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said that the country will construct a multi-layered air defense system called the “T-Dome” to defend itself against increasing threats from China.
“The increase in defense spending has a purpose; it is a clear necessity to counter enemy threats and a driving force for developing our defense industries,” he said, going on to list Taiwan’s “three major goals.”
“First, we will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defense system in Taiwan with multi-layered defense, high-level detection, and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of citizens,” Lai said. “Second, we will advance the integration of high-tech and AI technologies to build a smart defense combat system, maximizing effective deterrence for our asymmetric strategy.”
“Third, we will continue to invest in innovative defense technologies and collaborate with the military industries of advanced nations to bolster our defense industry capabilities. We will strengthen our domestic supply chains through local R&D, design, and manufacturing,” he explained. “This will enable Taiwan to accelerate industry upgrades, enhance the resilience of our military equipment, and boost the capacity of our defense industry.”
Lai’s address further discussed trade negotiations. “Moving ahead, Taiwan will sign bilateral economic and trade cooperation agreements with even more friends and allies while upholding the principle of mutual benefits,” he stated. “We will also actively engage in reciprocal tariff negotiations with the US to secure a reasonable rate, resolve the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US, and deepen industrial cooperation. This will enable Taiwan’s economic development to become more globally connected and thereby make great strides.”
In July, Taiwan launched its most expansive military drills amid the threat posed by China. The 10-day live-fire drills included those aimed at countering the Chinese Coast Guard.
