TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) convened a high-level national security meeting on Thursday (March 13) to address China's reunification threats against Taiwan, outlining17 strategic responses to counter these threats, emphasizing the need for robust measures to safeguard Taiwan's sovereignty.
Lai identified China as the "foreign hostile forces" defined in Taiwan's "Anti-Infiltration Act" (反滲透法), stressing its non-peaceful tactics. He highlighted a significant increase in espionage cases, noting that the number of indictments in 2024 tripled compared to 2021. To address this, Lai announced a comprehensive review of the "Military Trial" law to reinstate the military court system, ensuring military judges address infiltration issues directly.
Lai also proposed new long-term residency regulations for Hong Kong and Macau residents and pledged to investigate public servants holding Chinese identification. He stated this initiative allows civil servants to demonstrate their commitment to Taiwan. Furthermore, Lai condemned online influencers like "Yaya" (亞亞在台灣), who allegedly harm national interests, and vowed to investigate such incidents thoroughly.
Lai called for transparency in exchanges from government officials to local leaders, urging the Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) to establish disclosure systems for religious and public organizations engaging with China. He also emphasized the importance of educating young people about China to counter infiltration and tighten cross-strait policies. Taiwan's government aims to implement these strategies swiftly, underscoring its commitment to national security and sovereignty, the president said.
