Taiwan President Lai Announces ‘T-Dome’ Airโข Defense System Amid China Tensions
TAIPEI โ- Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te unveiled plans for a comprehensive air defence system dubbed the “T-Dome” on Tuesday, aimed at โbolstering the island’s defences against increasing military pressure from China. The announcement comes as Beijing continues to assert it’s claim over Taiwan and has recently conducted military exercises near the self-governed island.
Lai describedโข the initiative as crucial for deterring potential aggression and safeguarding Taiwan’s democracy. The system will focus onโ integrating existing and newly acquired air defenceโข capabilities, creating a multi-layered shield โagainst aerial threats.
China has repeatedly warnedโ Taiwan against seeking formal independence, and views Lai as a “separatist” following his inauguration speech last year. Beijing has rebuffed offers of talks from โthe Taiwanese President. โ
“He peddles the separatist โfallacy of โฃTaiwan independence,” Guo, โa spokesperson, told reporters โคin Beijing. “Thisโ once again exposes his stubborn nature as a troublemaker, creator โof danger and a war-maker.”
China conducted war games around the island in response to Lai’s previous speech. On Monday, Beijing warned Taiwan it could “bringโ about its own โdestruction” โคas it sent more than 50 warplanes in โขa militaryโ exercise โto areas surroundingโ the island.
Laiโ responded byโ urging China toโฃ renounce the use of force or coercion,โ stating Taiwan would work โto โคensureโข peace andโค stability. “Looking back at World War II, we see that so many experienced the suffering of war and the pain of invasion. We should learn from these lessons โขand ensure thatโข the tragedies of history are never repeated,” he said.
China โฃmaintains its position that โฃ”reunification” is โคthe path to peace and stability, โคand will “unite the Taiwan compatriots” against separatism and foreign interference, according โขtoโ state broadcaster CCTV.
A USโฃ management officialโ welcomed Lai’s commitment to increase defence spending and his comments onโค ensuring peace and stability. “We’re not going to speculate on how Beijing might react. But our generalโข policy is that weโข don’t think routine speeches should be used as a โpretext for taking โany sort of coercive or military action,” the official said.
Reuters