Taiwan President paid respect to martyrs of Taiwan- China war

On Wednesday, August 23rd, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen paid tribute to the martyred soldiers of the China-Taiwan war. She also pledged to strengthen self-defense capabilities. The president visited the war memorial on the outlying islands of Kinmen, where the conflict had taken place 65 years ago. Accompanying her were Minister of Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng and the head of the National Security Council, Wellington Koo.

Kinmen is situated in the Taiwan Strait, the narrow body of water that separates Taiwan and China. Given its proximity, China is easily visible from Kinmen, as the distance is merely 2 kilometers.

In 1958, China launched an attack on Taiwan, bombarding Kinmen. Taiwanese forces engaged in combat with the Chinese forces with the assistance of the USA. The Taiwanese president vowed to bolster defense capabilities, as she believes that strength is a path to achieving peace.

"However, to maintain peace, we must first strengthen ourselves," Tsai emphasized. "Thus, we must continue implementing national defense reforms, advancing defense self-sufficiency, and consistently enhancing the combat power and resilience of our national defense."

This day is observed annually to commemorate Taiwan's defense against China. The Taiwanese President laid a wreath to mark the 65th anniversary of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.

This development comes amidst China's efforts to exert pressure on Taiwan. China has been employing its military prowess to disrupt Taiwan consistently. Chinese air force planes have entered Taiwanese airspace multiple times. China asserts its ownership over Taiwan, a democratically governed nation.