Taiwan President Thanks US for Defense Support Amid China Pressure

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has thanked the United States for supporting the island’s defenses and said Taiwan will not bow to external pressure.

He made the comments in a pre-recorded English video message to the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Tuesday. 

The remarks come ahead of a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14–15, where Taiwan is expected to be discussed.

“I would like to thank the United States for helping us strengthen our defence capabilities as part of its unwavering commitment to security,” Lai said, according to the transcript on the Office of the President website.

He added that the people of Taiwan “have never backed down in the face of mounting external challenges, and they will never bow to pressure.” 

Lai described Taiwan as “a sovereign, independent nation” whose people have every right to engage with the international community.

Taiwan has governed itself as a democracy since 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party took over mainland China. The regime in Beijing has never ruled Taiwan but claims the island as its territory and has increased military and diplomatic pressure in recent years.

Lai also referred to last month’s incident when he postponed a visit to Eswatini, one of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies in Africa. The trip was delayed after Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar withdrew permission for his aircraft to fly over their airspace.

Taiwan’s government blamed Chinese pressure, including economic coercion.

The Chinese communist regime does not recognize Taiwan’s government and strongly opposes U.S. arms sales to the island. The United States is Taiwan’s main international partner and leading supplier of defense equipment, despite having no formal diplomatic ties.

In his speech, Lai highlighted that this year marks 30 years since Taiwan’s first direct presidential election in 1996. That vote took place under threat of Chinese missile tests. He called Taiwan an important beacon of democracy in Asia.

China conducted large-scale military drills around Taiwan in December 2025. The exercises by the People’s Liberation Army included simulated blockades and joint operations.

Taiwan currently maintains formal diplomatic relations with 12 countries. Beijing has worked for years to reduce that number through diplomatic and economic incentives.

Lai delivered the message at the invitation of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation. The Copenhagen summit focused on challenges facing democracies worldwide.

China’s foreign ministry has not commented publicly on the latest speech. Beijing has previously rejected dialogue offers from Lai and criticized him as a separatist.

The Trump–Xi meetings in Beijing are anticipated to cover trade, technology, and regional security issues, with Taiwan a sensitive topic for both sides.