Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has pledged to strengthen the island’s defenses in the face of escalating Chinese threats. Lai said in a New Year’s address on Wednesday that Taiwan was a crucial part of the “line of defense 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. Lai said in his address that “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."
