N環球 
Taiwan's Lai: Cherishing Peace, Never Giving Up Freedom, in National Day Speech
President Lai Ching-te delivered Taiwan's National Day address on Oct 10, stressing that higher defence spending aims to deter war, not provoke; the US welcomed his commitment to cross-strait stability.
Why it matters
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivered the National Day address on Oct 10, 2026, outside the Presidential Office in Taipei, as China keeps up military and political pressure on the island. The speech sets the tone for Taiwan's defence posture and conditions for cross-strait dialogue.
Key points
“Taiwan cherishes peace, but we will not give up our freedom. We are open to exchanges, but will not accept subordination,” Lai said. He added that peace cannot rely solely on “wishes” and requires practical efforts to prevent conflict.
Lai said boosting defence investment is not meant to provoke but to deter war, and that strengthening self-defence is not about abandoning dialogue but ensuring talks can take place on the basis of parity and dignity.
He said Taiwan's resolve is not only about its own survival in the face of “authoritarian expansion” but about whether the international community still believes that force cannot override rules and that the powerful cannot strip a people of their right to determine their own future. Taiwan is ramping up defence spending and modernising its armed forces in the face of China's far larger military.
Reaction and background
China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond. Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force, calls Lai a “separatist” and has rebuffed his offers of talks.
A senior US administration official said Washington welcomes Lai's commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, adding that “a routine speech is no justification for aggressive or coercive actions.”
Background: after Lai's first National Day speech in 2024, China held war games around the island; it did not do so last year. This year's holiday marks the 115th anniversary of the 1911 uprising that founded the Republic of China.
Source: Reuters (2026-10-10)
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