Democracy and a strong military are key to safeguarding the nation, as it cannot be achieved by groveling and begging for peace, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday.
Lai, who has received the Democratic Progressive Party’s nomination to run as its presidential candidate in next year’s election, made the remarks at the launch of his “Support Lai for President” campaign in Tainan organized by the nation’s gasoline service station proprietors.
“Our mother is the mountain and the ocean... From our great-grandparents to today, these generations have been nurtured by Mother Taiwan,” Lai said, referring to a 1990s democracy movement song, Mother’s Name is Taiwan.
Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Taipei Times
“We have all grown up on this land, but now we are facing China as the biggest threat to our existence. We must fight together shoulder to shoulder to defend our homeland, to safeguard peace in Taiwan through democracy and by having a strong military defense,” he said.
China’s military is looming, and it is using cognitive warfare and disinformation against Taiwan, he said.
“I ask that people be prudent and not believe dubious messages and false information that are circulating online,” he said, adding that “peace cannot be achieved by kneeling and groveling, it cannot be granted by the enemy invading our homeland.”
If elected president, Lai said he would upgrade the petroleum industry and maintain its role in promoting economic growth and social stability.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
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The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
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