Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has stated that China's escalating threats against the island pose a challenge to the international community's commitment to a rules-based international order.
What happened
Lai made the remarks during Taiwan's National Day celebrations on October 10, where he emphasized that Taiwan's resolve to defend itself is not only a matter of survival but also a test of whether the international community believes in the principles of rules-based order.
According to Lai, China continues to apply pressure on Taiwan through military and gray-zone activities in an attempt to alter the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. He stressed that maintaining peace in the region cannot rely solely on wishes and that Taiwan will not give up its freedom or accept subordination to China.
Lai has set a goal to increase Taiwan's defense spending to 5 percent of its gross domestic product by 2030. He also called on democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific to join forces to ensure peace and stability in the region are not undermined.
