TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao (蕭美琴) delivered a comprehensive security briefing to the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club on Friday (July 18), focusing on lessons learned from the recently concluded Han Kuang exercises (漢光演習), Taiwan's largest annual military drills. The former diplomat emphasized her administration's proactive approach to addressing both domestic and international security challenges, calling for the development of what she termed "multi-layered social resilience" across Taiwanese society in response to evolving threats in the region.
The vice president reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to maintaining regional peace, emphasizing that the island democracy consistently pursues a non-provocative approach to cross-strait relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC, 中國). Hsiao acknowledged Taiwan's significant historical contributions to China's economic development through substantial investments, while simultaneously condemning Beijing's escalating military posturing and economic coercion tactics directed against Taiwan in recent years.
Hsiao provided detailed analysis of China's multifaceted pressure campaign against Taiwan, explaining that these escalating tactics had prompted President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to develop a comprehensive defense framework comprising 17 distinct strategies aligned with broader Indo-Pacific security interests. The vice president referenced President Lai's March 13 security policy address, during which he outlined specific measures to counter five identified national security threats, including proposals to restore Taiwan's military court system and implement enhanced scrutiny of applications for Chinese documentation.
The vice president emphasized Taiwan's extensive global economic integration and specifically addressed the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, a key security partner. Hsiao detailed her government's multifaceted efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Washington and other democratic partners through enhanced collaboration in critical technology sectors, strategic investments, and various economic initiatives designed to reduce Taiwan's vulnerability to economic coercion. ◼
