President Visits Taichung Temple, Emphasizes Peace in Taiwan Strait as Essential Element of Global Security
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te visited a temple in Taichung, emphasizing that the national defense budget develops domestic defense industries. He also announced a plan to assist 1 million SMEs with AI adoption by 2040.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 18:20
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 18:31 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 18:53 (22 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency reporter Hao Hsueh-ching, Taichung, 18th) President Lai Ching-te visited the Shui-an Temple in Taichung to offer incense today, stating that besides buying advanced weapons, the special national defense budget can also develop the national defense industry. National security relies on self-determination, and the international community also considers peace in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element for global security and prosperity.
President Lai went to Shui-an Temple in Nantun District, Taichung City, in the afternoon to offer incense, leading Taichung City's party and public officials to pray for blessings together. After completing the incense offering ceremony, the president greeted the crowd packed in the temple courtyard and asked everyone to support the DPP's Taichung mayoral candidate Ho Hsin-chun and nominated city councilor candidates.
The president asked the crowd on the spot if they were afraid or worried about Chinese ships and planes frequently flying near Taiwan to threaten it. After hearing everyone reply "No," the president continued, saying why everyone is not afraid is because, starting from former President Tsai Ing-wen, national defense strength has been continuously improved over the past 10 years, whether through foreign military procurement or promoting defense self-reliance.
Taking this special defense budget as an example, the president said a significant portion is to promote defense self-reliance, such as developing drones, robots, unmanned surface vessels, or underwater unmanned submarines. This allows defense to not only buy the most advanced weapons from the United States via military procurement but also enables the defense industry to grow. Only when the country is safer can the economy be more prosperous. Speaking of the budget for defense self-reliance, the most important city is Taichung.
He stated that the country is now increasingly safe. Aside from its own determination, the international community also values it highly. In recent years, the G7 leaders' summits have invariably reached a conclusion: peace in the Taiwan Strait is an essential element for global security and prosperity.
President Lai mentioned that recently Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (Note: textual error in original article regarding PM and US President) visited US President Trump, and after the meeting, defense officials once again emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for world security and prosperity, and no country is allowed to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or threat. In other words, the Taiwan Strait issue is not simply Taiwan's issue, but a globally concerned issue. Facing the CCP, although "their fists are bigger, we have a group of people standing behind us," so "our country has become increasingly safe over the past 10 years."
The president emphasized that Taiwan's economy is getting better year by year. The government now needs to care not only about the tech industry or large international companies but also provide help to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He plans that by 2040, the government will use artificial intelligence to help at least 1 million SMEs utilize AI to improve their competitiveness, production efficiency, and lower costs, so they can also make money. (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150418
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President Lai went to Shui-an Temple in Nantun District, Taichung City, in the afternoon to offer incense, leading Taichung City's party and public officials to pray for blessings together. After completing the incense offering ceremony, the president greeted the crowd packed in the temple courtyard and asked everyone to support the DPP's Taichung mayoral candidate Ho Hsin-chun and nominated city councilor candidates.
The president asked the crowd on the spot if they were afraid or worried about Chinese ships and planes frequently flying near Taiwan to threaten it. After hearing everyone reply "No," the president continued, saying why everyone is not afraid is because, starting from former President Tsai Ing-wen, national defense strength has been continuously improved over the past 10 years, whether through foreign military procurement or promoting defense self-reliance.
Taking this special defense budget as an example, the president said a significant portion is to promote defense self-reliance, such as developing drones, robots, unmanned surface vessels, or underwater unmanned submarines. This allows defense to not only buy the most advanced weapons from the United States via military procurement but also enables the defense industry to grow. Only when the country is safer can the economy be more prosperous. Speaking of the budget for defense self-reliance, the most important city is Taichung.
He stated that the country is now increasingly safe. Aside from its own determination, the international community also values it highly. In recent years, the G7 leaders' summits have invariably reached a conclusion: peace in the Taiwan Strait is an essential element for global security and prosperity.
President Lai mentioned that recently Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (Note: textual error in original article regarding PM and US President) visited US President Trump, and after the meeting, defense officials once again emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for world security and prosperity, and no country is allowed to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or threat. In other words, the Taiwan Strait issue is not simply Taiwan's issue, but a globally concerned issue. Facing the CCP, although "their fists are bigger, we have a group of people standing behind us," so "our country has become increasingly safe over the past 10 years."
The president emphasized that Taiwan's economy is getting better year by year. The government now needs to care not only about the tech industry or large international companies but also provide help to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He plans that by 2040, the government will use artificial intelligence to help at least 1 million SMEs utilize AI to improve their competitiveness, production efficiency, and lower costs, so they can also make money. (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150418
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.