by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will pledge in a major National Day speech on Monday to boost the island’s defense capabilities amid renewed tensions with China.
China considers Taiwan an integral part of its territory and the August visit of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to the island has exacerbated tensions between the United States and China, giving rise to maneuvers military from Beijing.
Tsai Ing-wen’s draft speech, described to Reuters by a source, says the Taiwanese president will discuss the idea of ”strengthening the combat power of national defense and rebuilding people’s morale”.
“Apart from reaffirming Taiwan’s resolve to increase its defense and strengthen its stance on maintaining peace and stability in the region, the president will also expand on efforts to build combat power and resilience. of national defence,” the source added.
Tsai Ing-wen has launched a program to modernize Taiwan’s military equipment marked by increased defense spending as China persists in its claims on the island.
His speech is expected to be delivered outside the presidential palace in central Taipei, where a military parade will also take place. Tsai Ing-wen will stress that “democratic resilience” is the key to protecting Taiwan, according to the source.
This involves continuing to deepen international cooperation and establishing “close ties” with the island’s democratic allies, Taiwan’s president is expected to say.
This planned speech will come less than a week before the opening of the Chinese Communist Party Congress in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping is expected to return for a third five-year term.
China, without excluding the use of force, has pledged to work for a peaceful “reunification” with Taiwan according to the “one country, two systems” model, a project rejected by all the main Taiwanese political parties.
(Report Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; French version Claude Chendjou)