Taipei [Taiwan], October 10 : Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on Friday said that his country will build a new multi-layered air defence system called "T-Dome" to create a safety net for the country amid growing military threats from China, local media reported.
He also pledged to increase defence spending and called on China to renounce the use of force to seize his island country, according to a report on Focus Taiwan.
In his National Day address, Lai said, "We will accelerate our building of the T-Dome, establish a rigorous air defence system in Taiwan with multi-layered defence, high-level detection, and effective interception, and weave a safety net for Taiwan to protect the lives and property of citizens."
The Taiwanese president said the lessons of World War II have taught nations worldwide "to ensure that the tragedies of history are never repeated."
"The ambitions of the aggressors in that conflict caused widespread devastation and loss of life. In today's world, authoritarianism continues to expand and the international order faces severe challenges. Regional order in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea, and even the security of the entire first island chain, are under serious threat," Lai said.
In September this year, Taiwan unveiled its latest air defence missile at the Chiang-Kong arms show in Taipei.
Focus Taiwan reported that Lai reiterated his administration's pledge to increase the country's defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP next year and 5 per cent by 2030.
In his speech, Lai said, "In addition to the Russia-Ukraine war, turmoil in the Middle East, and China's continued military expansion, the United States' tariff policy has delivered a blow to economies and industries alike."
The Taiwanese national day also known as Double Ten Day on October 10. China, claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory.
Meanwhile, in a significant step to counter Beijing's increasing hostility toward Taiwan, US Senator James Risch, the leading Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has introduced legislation designed to preemptively target Chinese entities with sanctions if the communist regime uses force against the self-governed island, reported The Epoch Times.
According to The Epoch Times, the bill, titled the Deter PRC Aggression Against Taiwan Act, aims to establish a China Sanctions Task Force, co-led by the Departments of State and Treasury.
The proposed task force would identify Chinese military and civilian assets for possible sanctions, export restrictions, and other economic countermeasures in the event of an invasion or attempts to subvert Taiwan's government.
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