Taipei: The future of Taiwan must not be decided by an "external force" or hijacked by fear or division, President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday on the second anniversary of his inauguration. Speaking at the Presidential Office, Lai emphasized that Taiwan's democracy is rooted in the sacrifices and devotion of many generations of people. He urged the ruling and opposition parties to demonstrate unity in confronting external threats and upholding national interests. According to Focus Taiwan, President Lai asserted, "Taiwan's future must not be determined by external forces or hijacked by fear, division or short-term benefits." He emphasized the importance of Taiwan's future being decided collectively by its 23 million people. Lai reiterated Taiwan's willingness to engage with China, but only under conditions of parity and dignity, rejecting China's "united front" work, which includes unification attempts disguised as peace. Lai also highlighted his administration's efforts to develop asymmetrical defense capa bilities and propose special budgets to fund American weapons systems, which are currently under review in the Legislative Yuan. "Taiwan must become a country that can protect herself and uphold peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," Lai said. He assured, "This is my commitment to the Taiwanese people, and Taiwan should demonstrate this resolve to the international community."
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