Taiwan to work with democratic partners, build sustainable chip supply chains: Lai

Taipei, July 30 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday told dozens of foreign parliamentarians that Taiwan is committed to working with democratic partners to counter China's threats and build sustainable chipmaking supply chains.

At an annual summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Taipei, Lai took aim at the military intimidation and diplomatic pressure directed by China against its neighboring countries.

These actions, along with cyberattacks and disinformation operations launched by Beijing, have disrupted peace and stability in the region, according to Lai.

"China's threats to any country pose a threat to the world," Lai said, underscoring the need for democratic nations to stay united and preserve their shared values.

The president said Taiwan would "do its utmost" to work with democratic nations to counter the threat of authoritarian expansion and contribute to global peace and prosperity.

Taiwan also aims to collaborate with like-minded partners to establish "a sustainable supply chain for democratic chips," Lai said, adding that this was the country's responsibility given its advantage in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

At the same time, Taiwan continues to show its determination to defend itself by investing in national defense and economic security, the president added.

His comments came after a Cabinet official told CNA earlier in the day that the government is planning to allocate approximately NT$630 billion (US$19.17 billion) for national defense in 2025, an increase of about 5 percent compared to 2024 spending.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that the central government's general budget plan for fiscal 2025 is still being finalized. The Cabinet usually approves the annual budget in August and sends it to the Legislature for approval.

Addressing 49 members of legislatures from 23 countries and the European Parliament at the summit, Lai lauded them for "defying pressure" and "coming from afar" to show their support for Taiwan.

On Sunday, the IPAC said eight of its members had been approached by Chinese diplomatic officials in their home countries prior to traveling to Taipei, with one being asked to visit China instead of Taiwan.

In its statement, the group condemned Beijing's interference in its annual meeting, which includes discussions on cross-strait relations and tech security, noting that such move went beyond normal diplomatic conduct.

With around 250 members from 34 legislatures and the European Parliament, the cross-national parliamentarians' group seeks to build a coordinated response to China on global trade, security and human rights issues.