Taipei ¨C Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te warned that countries in the region would be China¡¯s next targets should Beijing seize the democratic island, as he insisted on the need for Taiwan to dramatically shore up its defenses.
Speaking in his first interview with a global news agency since taking office in May 2024, Lai said he was confident parliament will approve an additional $40 billion budget to fund crucial defense purchases, including weapons from the United States.
China¡¯s President Xi Jinping has warned Washington against selling weapons to Taiwan, but Lai said the United States will stand by Taiwan and will not need to use it as a ¡°bargaining chip¡± with Beijing.
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