Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called on China Wednesday not to be a "source of conflict" and pledged to boost the island's defenses against Beijing's military threats.
In a National Day address, Tsai said the best way to defend Taiwan was to "make it indispensable and irreplaceable to the world," while remaining nonconfrontational in its attitude toward China.
"So once again, I am calling on the authorities in Beijing, as a responsible major power, to play a positive role in the region and the world, instead of being a source of conflict," Tsai told an audience of government officials, members of the public and foreign dignitaries gathered in front of the Presidential Office Building in the center of the capital, Taipei.
China cut off contact with Tsai's government shortly after her inauguration in 2016 and has been ratcheting up diplomatic, economic and military pressure on Taiwan in a bid to compel her to agree to Beijing's insistence that the self-governing island democracy is a part of China.
China and Taiwan separated amid civil war in 1949 and China considers the island part of its territory to be taken control of by force if necessary.
Tsai also said Wednesday that Taiwan would upgrade its security by increasing the defense budget annually and further developing domestic defense industries, particularly the manufacturing of submarines and training aircraft.
"Our lean and combat-ready troops absolutely have the ability to defend Taiwan's sovereignty," Tsai said.
She said she would neither approach conflict nor sacrifice Taiwan's autonomy, adding that the island's military spending will "grow steadily" every year.
The president's comments, though consistent with her stance of the past two years, come as China steps up pressure and the United States shows more support for Taiwan alongside a widening Sino-US trade dispute.
"The environment, the external world has changed," said Lin Chong-pin, a retired strategic studies professor in Taiwan.
"In a way, she is reacting to what Beijing is doing to Taiwan, and I don't blame her."
"Our current priority is to formulate an overall strategy, and bolster our national security."
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