Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) that if given the chance he would tell U.S. President Donald Trump of his hope to continue U.S. arms purchases, which Mr. Lai called essential for peace, while offering assurances that the island’s future would not be decided by external forces.

Mr. Lai is marking two years in office, the halfway point of his term, under growing pressure from China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province to be retaken by force if necessary.

Mr. Trump’s recent narrative on Taiwan also raised concerns about U.S. traditional support for the island even without formal diplomatic ties.

Mr. Lai said if he could talk to Mr. Trump, he would emphasise that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was crucial for global security, alleging China was the “destroyer” of the strait’s peace.

Mr. Lai said he also would tell Mr. Trump that Taiwan’s increasing defense budget was a response to threats and purchases of U.S. arms would be an essential means to safeguard the strait’s stability. Mr. Lai said he believes “only strength can bring peace”.

“No country has the right to annex Taiwan,” Mr. Lai said he would tell Mr. Trump at the news briefing. “Democracy and freedom should also not be seen as provocation.” Mr. Lai looks forward to more cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. and other democratic countries in promoting peace in the strait, he added.

Mr. Lai stands firm despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s warning to the U.S. after Mr. Xi last week issued a strong warning to the U.S., telling Mr. Trump during their Beijing summit that the “Taiwan question” is the most important issue in ties between China and the U.S. and the two nations will “have clashes and even conflicts” without proper handling.

Mr. Trump in December approved a record-breaking, $11 billion arms package to Taiwan. In an interview aired Friday (May 15, 2026) on Fox News as the U.S. President wrapped up his visit to China, Mr. Trump said his approval of a new $14 billion arms package to Taiwan depended on China, describing the deal as “a very good negotiating chip”.

Mr. Trump later told reporters he needed to talk to the person who is running Taiwan, without naming Mr. Lai, who Beijing deemed a separatist.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Lai holding talks likely would anger China, which has formal diplomatic ties with the U.S. and typically responds strongly to Taiwan visits by U.S. politicians.

In his speech on Wednesday (May 20, 2026), Mr. Lai said democracy is not a gift from the sky.

“Taiwan’s future cannot be decided by external forces, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division, or short-term interests,” he said, without specifying who the external forces are.

He added that Taiwan was willing to engage in healthy and orderly exchanges with China under the principles of equality and dignity, but firmly rejects united front tactics that “package unification as peace”.

Beyond geopolitics, Taiwan is a major manufacturer of artificial-intelligence servers, computer chips and precision instruments. The AI boom has propelled Taiwan’s leading technology companies to record profits and revenues. But observers worry the island’s heavy reliance on computer chipmakers and other technology companies carries risk if the AI craze becomes a bubble.

Mr. Lai said he would roll out a $3.1 billion plan to accelerate the upgrading and transformation of small and medium-sized businesses and traditional industries and to have the tech industries drive traditional sectors.

Beijing slams Mr. Lai meanwhile China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said in Beijing that Mr. Lai’s remarks were filled with lies, deception, hostility and confrontation, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

Mr. Chen accused Mr. Lai of stubbornly insisting on Taiwan independence, calling him a “destroyer of cross-strait peace” and saying Mr. Lai was pretending to be sincere when he vowed to promote cross-strait dialogue in an attempt to deceive the Taiwanese and fool international public opinion, the report said.

No matter who was elected and how the election was held in Taiwan, “it cannot break the unchangeable rule that Taiwan’s future can only be decided jointly by all Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots,” Mr. Chen said, according to Xinhua.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949 when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multi-party democracy.

The U.S. and Taiwan had formal diplomatic relations until 1979, when President Jimmy Carter’s administration recognised and established relations with Beijing. Still, the U.S. is required by law to ensure Taiwan can defend itself.

Published – May 20, 2026 03:43 pm IST

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te pledged to strengthen the island’s defences in the face of escalating Chinese threats, saying in a New Year’s address on Wednesday (January 1, 2025) that Taiwan was a crucial part of the “line of defence of democracy” globally.

China claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, is part of its territory and has vowed to annex the island by force if necessary.

“Authoritarian countries such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are still collaborating to threaten the international order that is based on rules. This has severely influenced the Indo-Pacific region and the world’s peace and stability,” Mr. Lai said in his address.

Beijing has used a variety of tactics in recent years to increase pressure on Taiwan, from sending warships and fighter jets toward the island on a near-daily basis to pressuring Taiwan’s diplomatic allies to switch their recognition to China.

In response, Taiwan has been reforming its military and buying weapons from the United States, its biggest unofficial ally.

“Taiwan must be prepared for danger in times of peace. It must keep increasing the national defence budget to strengthen its defence capabilities and show determination to defend the country. Every single person has the duty to protect Taiwan’s democracy and security,” Mr. Lai said.

Mr. Lai also issued a warning about the need to uphold democracy domestically, addressing recent political controversies in Taiwan.

The Kuomingtang-led opposition passed three bills last month after legislators got into a physical tussle over them. The bills are designed to make recall votes for politicians more difficult and change the budget allocation for the central government. Critics said another of the bills would paralyse the Constitutional Court.

Mr. Lai’s party has said the bills, which still need to be accepted by the executive branch, are a threat to democracy.

“Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow,” Mr. Lai said.

Beijing considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei rejects. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

China criticised new U.S. military aid to Taiwan on Sunday (December 22, 2024), saying the $571 million package seriously violates the “one China principle” and provisions of joint communiques between China and the U.S.

 Explained | Why is Taiwan caught between U.S. and China?

China will take “all necessary measures” to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, calling Taiwan “a red line that must not be crossed” in China-U.S. relations, according to a statement released by the Ministry.

Beijing considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei rejects.

This handout photo taken and released on December 16, 2024 by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence shows a U.S.-made M1A2 Abrams battle tank rolling down from a trailer at an army armour training centre in Hsinchu County, Hsinchu.
| Photo Credit: AFP

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday (December 20, 2024) agreed to provide $571.3 million in defence support for Taiwan, the White House said, while the State Department approved the potential sale to the island of $265 million worth of military equipment.

The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing.

Democratically governed Taiwan rejects China’s claims of sovereignty.

China has stepped up military pressure against Taiwan, including daily military activities near the island and two rounds of war games this year.

Taiwan went on alert last week in response to what it said was China’s largest massing of naval forces in three decades around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.

Mr. Biden had delegated to the Secretary of State the authority “to direct the drawdown of up to $571.3 million in defence articles and services of the Department of Defence, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan,” the White House said in a statement without providing details.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry thanked the United States for its “firm security guarantee”, saying in a statement the two sides would continue to work closely on security issues to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait.

The Pentagon said the State Department had approved the potential sale to Taiwan of about $265 million worth of command, control, communications, and computer modernisation equipment.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said the equipment sale would help upgrade its command-and-control systems.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry also said on Saturday (December 21, 2024) that the U.S. government had approved $30 million of parts for 76 mm autocannon, which it said would boost the island’s capacity to counter China’s “grey-zone” warfare.

Taipei:

Taiwan on Friday reported renewed Chinese military activity nearby with another “combat patrol” as the government called on Beijing not to escalate tensions after the seizure of a Taiwanese fishing boat.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up its pressure over the past four years, both militarily and politically.

On Tuesday, Chinese officials boarded and detained a Taiwanese fishing boat for illegally operating in the country’s waters, in what a senior Taiwan official said may be an act of psychological warfare.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said that starting just before 7 a.m. (2300 GMT) on Friday, it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighters, carrying out a “joint combat readiness patrol” with Chinese warships.

The Chinese aircraft flew into airspace to the north, centre and southern part of Taiwan, the ministry said.

Taiwan has detected at least 127 Chinese military aircraft operating near the island since the start of this month.

China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Friday, Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai said fishermen should raise their alert level and not do anything that could be considered illegal.

“At the same time, I also want to ask the Chinese side not to escalate with any the use of any excessive measures, because this can easily cause tension and unnecessary confrontation which is extremely unnecessary,” he added.

China says the root cause of its problems with Taiwan is what Beijing views as the “separatist” views of new President Lai Ching-te.

China staged war games shortly after Lai took office in May, and has rebuffed his repeated calls for talks.

Lai rejects China’s sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Lawmakers from main opposition Kuomintang wave the Anthurium flowers to celebrate their victory as Parliament Speaker Han Kuo-yu (top centre) knocks the hammer to pass Parliament Reform Bills in Taipei on May 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature passed changes on Tuesday that are seen as favouring China and diminishing the power of the island’s President, sparking protests by thousands of people.

The changes pushed by the opposition Nationalist Party and its allies would give the legislature greater power to control budgets, including defence spending that the party has blocked in what many see as a concession to China.

It remains unclear whether the package of Bills will become law. The Executive Yuan, the executive branch of government headed by the premier, may veto legislation or pass it on to the president, who has to proclaim Bills into law within 10 days. If the Executive Yuan or the President does not comply, the Bills will not become law.

Thousands of people gathered outside the legislature to protest the changes. The legislative chamber was festooned with banners promoting both sides in the dispute, while arguments on the floor broke into shouting and pushing matches.

The Nationalists, also known as the KMT, officially back unification with China, from which Taiwan separated during a civil war in 1949. They took control of the legislature with a single-seat majority after elections in January, while the presidency went to Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party, which favors Taiwan’s de facto independence from China.

DPP legislators accused deputies from the KMT and the minority Taiwan People’s Party of undermining Taiwan’s democracy by expanding the legislature’s oversight of the executive branch. They denounced the legislation as creating a “black box” for what the KMT has portrayed as reforms. While the KMT controls the legislature, its speaker and its allies in the TPP were elected on party lists, meaning they answer to no actual constituents.

Taiwan was governed under martial law for 40 years under the Nationalists, who have lost three consecutive presidential elections but still hold power on the local level through well-entwined networks of business and social interests. Pro-China business groups have also captured a major share of Taiwan’s media market, even as the younger generation turns to social media for its information.

China sends planes and ships near Taiwan on a daily basis in a campaign aimed at wearing down Taiwanese opposition to unification and at deteriorating its defenses, which are strongly backed by the U.S., despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties.