Taiwan president vows to strengthen island's defense in Lunar New Year message

Taiwan will strengthen its defence efforts and safeguard the island's security in the year ahead, President Lai Ching-te said in his Lunar New Year message released on Sunday.

Lai last year proposed $40 billion in extra defence spending to counter China, which views the island as its own territory. But the opposition, which has a majority in parliament, has refused to review the proposal and instead advanced its own, less expensive proposals, which only fund the purchase of some of the U.S. weapons Lai wants.

In his address, recorded at one of Taiwan's most important military radar stations in the central mountain range which he visited earlier this month, Lai said he wanted to thank the armed forces for protecting Taiwan around the clock.

"We will continue to strengthen our national defence and public security efforts, safeguarding national security and maintaining social stability," he said in the message carried on his social media accounts.

The message showed Lai at the high-altitude Hsiaohsuehshan radar station, chatting with officers there.

The video also featured footage of Taiwan's first domestically developed submarine, which is in the process of undersea trials.

Lai, who Beijing denounces as a "separatist" given his rejection of the country's sovereignty claims, did not extend greetings to China, which staged its latest round of major war games around the island in late December.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

China, as well as South Korea and large parts of Southeast Asia, also mark the Lunar New Year holiday.

-Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Anil D'Silva/Reuters