By Joyce Huang and AFP | 2026-05-20

TAIPEI -- Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said that Taiwan's future must be decided by its people, as he marked the second anniversary of his presidency with a renewed call for stronger defenses and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"Taiwan's future cannot be decided by forces outside our borders, nor can it be held hostage by fear, division, or short-term gain," Lai said in a speech marking the anniversary of his May 20 inauguration.

"Taiwan's future must be determined together by our 23 million people," he said.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force against the island. Beijing has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years through near-daily air and naval incursions around the island.

Lai said Taiwan was increasing defense spending "not to provoke, but to prevent war," warning that threats facing it were "greater than ever before."

"True peace can be secured only through strength," Lai said.

China stepped up military activity ahead of Lai's anniversary address on May 20, with Taiwan's National Defense Ministry reporting 24 Chinese military aircraft and drones operating around the island on May 19 as part of what Beijing described as a "joint combat readiness patrol."

The ministry said 13 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense zones alongside Chinese naval vessels.

Taiwan's military conducted combat readiness drills on May 20, including the deployment of newly acquired M1A2T Abrams tanks in northern Taiwan.

U.S. support

Lai said Taiwan was willing to engage in "healthy and orderly exchanges" with China under the principles of "parity and dignity" but "firmly reject[s] 'United Front' tactics that package unification as peace."

The United Front is a term for pro-Beijing propaganda operations.

Taiwan is "willing to engage in dialogue, but will not accept subordination" and will not sacrifice its sovereignty or democratic way of life, he said.

Since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term in 2025, Taiwan has faced growing pressure to boost defense spending and increase investment in the United States.

Taiwan has poured billions of dollars into modernizing its military and developing its domestic defense industry, though it continues to rely heavily on U.S. weapon sales as Beijing intensifies military pressure around the island.

Taiwan's parliament recently approved a $25 billion special defense package, much of which lawmakers said would fund previously announced U.S. arms purchases. The package is for eight years.

Trump recently said he would decide on future arms sales to Taiwan "over the next fairly short period of time" following his visit to Beijing last week, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed Taiwan.

Taiwanese officials have since stressed that longstanding U.S. policy toward the island remains unchanged and that Washington has made no commitments to Beijing regarding arms sales.

Status quo

Lai said that if he had the opportunity to speak with Trump, who has raised the possibility of a call between the two leaders, he would emphasize that Taiwan remained committed to maintaining the "status quo" across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan is "not a destabilizer" and remains committed to peace and stability in the region, he said.

Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but it remains Taipei's main security partner and arms supplier.

Any direct conversation between the two presidents would mark a highly unusual step in unofficial U.S.-Taiwan relations and would likely draw a strong response from Beijing.