Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has warned countries in the region that they could be China's next target if Beijing were to seize the democratic island. He cited the importance of Taiwan's strong defense to avoid such a scenario.
In his first interview with an international news agency since taking office in May 2024, Lai said he was confident parliament would approve an additional $40 billion budget for critical arms purchases, including from the United States.
Although Xi Jinping warned Washington against selling arms to Taiwan, Lai assured that the US will stand by Taiwan and that the country should not be used as a “bargaining chip” with Beijing.
According to Lai, if China reunites Taiwan, China's expansion ambitions will not stop there. “The next countries at risk are Japan, the Philippines, and others in the Indo-Pacific, which could also affect the Americas and Europe,” he added.
Lai also criticized the recent purges of Chinese generals, which he called unusual, but insisted that this does not change Taiwan's need to be prepared for any threat.
