Taiwan’s President William Lai urged military graduates to guard against Chinese espionage during a graduation ceremony at Fu Hsing Kang College yesterday. Lai addressed cadets at the Taipei institution, stressing that a soldier’s honor stems from unwavering loyalty. Furthermore, he called on graduates to establish a clear awareness of friend and foe. Consequently, the address highlighted Taiwan’s deepening concern over Chinese infiltration of its armed forces.
Lai told graduates that resisting all forms of threat and temptation remains essential for defending national sovereignty. He specifically cited China’s infiltration, division, sabotage, and Chinese espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military. Taiwan has reported an increasing number of Chinese espionage cases in recent years, particularly within the armed forces. Moreover, China continues operating military assets daily around Taiwan and has not renounced the use of force.
The president additionally urged graduates to oppose communism, guard against infiltration, and firmly uphold democratic values. He also insisted on Taiwan’s position that Taipei and Beijing remain not subordinate to each other in any respect. Furthermore, Lai pointed to China’s ongoing gray zone pressure across the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea. In response, Taiwan plans to keep bolstering self-defense capabilities while working with democratic partners on collective deterrence.
Lai announced the government’s commitment to building a T-Dome defense capability through overseas arms purchases and indigenous weapons development. Additionally, he highlighted artificial intelligence and digital transformation as reshaping the modern security landscape significantly. Therefore, he urged graduates to cultivate innovative thinking and cross-disciplinary expertise throughout their military careers. The government also pledged to remain the military’s staunchest backer through continued defense spending increases.
Fu Hsing Kang College, now part of National Defense University, was founded in 1951 following the KMT government’s retreat to Taiwan. Attending the ceremony were ambassadors from Belize, Guatemala, and Paraguay, all formal Taiwan allies. A de facto ambassador from Jordan also attended despite having no formal recognition of Taiwan. Going forward, Lai’s remarks signal Taiwan’s determination to strengthen military resilience against growing Chinese espionage and security threats.
