Taiwan will strengthen its defense capabilities and ensure the island's security in the coming year, Taiwanese President William Lai said in a Lunar New Year address broadcast on Monday and quoted by Reuters.
In his New Year's address, recorded at one of the island's most important military radar stations located in its central mountain range, William Lai said he wanted to thank the armed forces for their round-the-clock protection of Taiwan.
"We will continue to strengthen our efforts for national defense and public security, ensuring national defense and maintaining social stability," the president said in a statement posted on social media.
Lai proposed allocating $40 billion for additional defense to deter China, which considers the island its territory. But the opposition, which has a majority in Taiwan's parliament, refused to consider the proposed budget bill and instead submitted its own with lower financial commitments, which only provides for the purchase of some US weapons that Lai wants.
William Lai, who is described by Beijing as a "separatist" for his refusal to recognize China's territorial claims to the island, did not greet China on New Year's Day.
China has never ruled out the use of force in a possible takeover of the island and held its last round of military exercises around Taiwan in December last year, Reuters recalls.