On the eve of Taiwan’s 93rd Armed Forces Day, President Lai Ching-te mentioned the defeat of the Communist forces 67 years ago in the 1958 Battle of Dadan Island. He emphasized the importance of “unity leads to victory, aggression leads to defeat”. Only by strengthening national defense capabilities and promoting unity among the people can we truly safeguard national sovereignty, democracy, freedom, and human rights.
President Lai Ching-te attended the “114th (2025) Armed Forces Day and National Defense Education Day” ceremony today, where he expressed that tomorrow (September 3rd) is Armed Forces Day. This day is not just a holiday for all military personnel, but also a day for all Taiwanese who cherish freedom, democracy, and protect Taiwan. It is a day to honor the military, loyalty, courage, and sacrifice, highlighting the importance of upholding these values.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Lai Ching-te presided over the ceremony honoring exemplary military personnel and groups for their outstanding contributions to national defense education. He congratulated and thanked the awardees for embodying the honor, discipline, and responsibility of being a soldier, which reflects not just the military’s glory but the entire nation’s honor.
President Lai Ching-te mentioned that the victory in the 1958 Battle of Dadan Island and subsequent Battle of Kinmen laid a solid foundation for defending Taiwan against aggression. These victories demonstrated that true peace comes from unity in resisting aggression and possessing strong resolve and capabilities.
He noted that the current security environment is more severe than before, with the Chinese Communist Party continuing military activities around the Taiwan Strait using tactics like grey-zone coercion and cognitive warfare to threaten Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, posing a challenge to the entire democratic world.
President Lai Ching-te emphasized that peace is priceless, and there are no winners in war. Genuine peace is achieved through strength. By strengthening national defense capabilities and promoting unity among the people, we can truly protect national sovereignty, democracy, freedom, and human rights.