2026-10-13
On October 13, 2026, Beijing time, media reports said that Lai Ching-te publicly made remarks related to a "city upon a hill," drawing criticism from Beijing. The related discussion also focused on the contrast in livelihood policies across the Taiwan Strait; the reports mentioned Taiwan distributing a 10,000-yuan "AI dividend" per person, contrasted with the survival difficulties emerging among ordinary people in mainland China and the public backlash.
2026-10-12
A Chinese exchange student in Taiwan filmed President Lai Ching-te's speech at National Taiwan University at close range and posted a video on Douyin containing pro-unification and implied threatening content, sparking public attention and reports from citizens.
2026-10-10
Taiwan held National Day celebrations on October 10, with army helicopters carrying a giant national flag flying over the Presidential Office, and President Lai Ching-te set to deliver a National Day address.
2026-10-10
On October 10, Lai Ching-te stated in a speech that measuring national progress should not rely solely on output value and exports, but also on whether labor conditions have improved, family burdens, and the future of young people.
2026-10-06
On October 6, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, speaking about the case of suspected surveillance of Lai Ching-te's family in the United States, said that existing laws are insufficient to counter acts such as being directed by the Chinese side to tail and film them and collect personal information, that the government is revising laws including the Anti-Infiltration Act, and that guidelines for nationwide assistance against transnational repression will be established as soon as possible.
2026-10-05
On October 5 local time in the United States, 34-year-old California real estate agent Zhang Wanying, suspected of spying on Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's son and family members on behalf of the Chinese government, made her first appearance in a Los Angeles federal court. The judge ordered her to remain in custody, with a detention hearing set for October 7. The indictment alleges that she received her surveillance assignment in the United States in Changsha in June 2025.
2026-10-04
On October 4, 2026, Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Boyang held the inauguration of his campaign headquarters, with DPP leader Lai Ching-te attending to show his support as the election race heats up.
2026-10
The US FBI has arrested 34-year-old Zhang Wanying, a former Chinese citizen who holds US citizenship, accusing her of allegedly monitoring and endangering Lai Ching-te's family members in the United States over a long period.
2026-10
President Lai Ching-te's son was stalked in California; a woman involved, who had disguised herself as a real estate agent, was arrested at the airport while preparing to flee to Shanghai.
2026-10
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te attended the inauguration ceremony of Micron's Advanced Packaging and Test Fab 2 in Taichung, stating that Taiwan will support industrial development and advanced technology research and development.
2026-10
A Chinese international student surnamed Wang, who posted videos on Douyin threatening President Lai Ching-te, had his residence permit revoked by the immigration agency and was escorted to the airport and deported, after the videos sparked public condemnation and he deleted them and apologized.
2026-09-28
On September 28, Republic of China President Lai Ching-te presided over the groundbreaking and campus opening ceremony of the Academia Sinica UAV Industrial Park in Chiayi, calling on the Legislative Yuan to pass an additional defense budget of 60 billion New Taiwan Dollars as soon as possible, stating that Taiwan's UAV industry "only lacks the East Wind."
2026-09-25
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te traveled to Chiayi to preside over the inauguration ceremony of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology's new Minxiong drone test site and the groundbreaking ceremony for the industrial park, emphasizing deepening cooperation with democratic partners to build a drone supply chain.
2026-09-18
On the morning of September 18, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visited Pingtung to inspect the joint precision missile live-fire exercise of the three armed forces. The three-day drill covers both domestically produced and U.S.-made missiles and rockets, and for the first time, includes attack drones. During this period, China dispatched military aircraft, drones, and naval vessels to operate around Taiwan.
2026-09-18
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te inspected a joint land‑sea‑air missile drill that included drones, stressing that the combined use of unmanned platforms and conventional weapons is a response to modern warfare and demonstrating the armed forces' confidence in defending the homeland.
2026-09-18
On September 18, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te traveled to Pingtung to inspect a joint precision missile firing exercise of the army, navy, and air force. The drill covered a number of domestically produced and U.S.-made missiles, rockets, and attack drones, including Hsiung Feng missiles and HIMARS. Lai affirmed the results of the exercise.
2026-09-14
At the direction of Lai Ching-te, Hsiao Bi-khim traveled to Italy's Ventotene Island to attend the second European Forum for Freedom and Democracy. The trip was not announced in advance, and the European Commission withdrew from the event after learning of it, while China expressed opposition. After returning to Taiwan on September 14, Hsiao told reporters at the airport that Taiwan will continue to bravely walk a path that moves forward alongside the world.
2026-09
Taiwan's government recently proposed a 2027 defense budget exceeding NT$1 trillion, continuing to surpass 3% of GDP. Lai Ching-te said the substantial budget increase demonstrates to the international community Taiwan's resolve to strengthen its self-defense.
2026-08-23
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te presided over the commemorative ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the August 23 Battle of the Taiwan Strait in Kinmen, calling on people to uphold the spirit of anti-communism and defending Taiwan and to support increasing the defense budget.
2026-08-18
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te stated that next year's overall defense budget will exceed NT$1 trillion for the first time, reaching NT$1.1225 trillion, continuing to exceed 3% of GDP.
2026-08-17
On August 17, 2026, Republic of China President Lai Ching-te announced that, driven by semiconductor and AI economic growth, government revenue has risen sharply, and the central government will include over 200 billion in its 2027 general budget to issue NT$10,000 in cash to all citizens.
2026-08-06
Lai Ching-te visited Taipei Port to inspect live-fire drills and understand the coordination and response capabilities of the military, Coast Guard, port authorities, and various departments.
2026-08-05
Late on the first day of the Han Kuang exercises, Lai Ching-te wore a bulletproof vest and a steel helmet, traveling in an armored vehicle to the command center to drill the continuous operation of the government during wartime.
2026-08-04
U.S. Republican Representative Michael McCaul has arrived in Taiwan, where he will meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and deliver a speech on Indo-Pacific security, demonstrating the firm bipartisan U.S. support for Taiwan.
2026-08-04
Lai Ching-te met with Michael McCaul at the Presidential Office in Taiwan and presented him with a medal in recognition of his efforts in promoting U.S.-Taiwan relations and maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
2026-07-19
Lai Ching-te called for unity within the Democratic Progressive Party at the party's annual national congress, opposed the threat that China's red terror poses to Taiwanese society, and said Taiwan's future should be decided by its 23 million people.
2026-07-17
During an inspection of Taiwan's drone research and development, Lai Ching-te said that drones are representative weapons of asymmetric warfare, and called on the Legislative Yuan to pass a special budget as soon as possible to build a drone offense and defense system.
2026-07-06
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth arrived in Taiwan for a visit, meeting with President Lai Ching-te and other leaders, and emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership for regional security.
2026-07-02
On the evening of July 2, 2026, Luogarangzan, a Tibetan independence activist exiled in the United States, set himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York while holding a Snow Lion flag and leaflets in protest against China's newly effective "National Unity Promotion Law"; he died of severe injuries after being taken to the hospital.
Location: New York, United States ·
Importance V ·
Verification: Verified ·
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2026-07
U.S. lawmakers raised an invitation at a related event, inviting Taiwan region leader Lai Ching-te to visit the United States.
2026-07-01
The U.S. Congress has extended an invitation for Taiwan region leader Lai Ching-te to visit the United States; Hu Liren believes this is a signal that the United States and Taiwan are gradually establishing diplomatic relations while severing ties with the Chinese Communist Party.
2026-06-18
On June 18, 2026, when Taiwan President Lai Ching-te met with international media in Taipei, he called on Chinese authorities to abandon military expansion in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait and to give up armed invasion of Taiwan, reiterating that Taiwan's refusal to accept unification is not provocation.
2026-05-05
Lai Ching-te has concluded his visit to Taiwan's African diplomatic ally Eswatini. Despite encountering obstacles on his return journey when transit permits for the airspace of three Indian Ocean countries were canceled, he eventually returned to Taoyuan Airport safely aboard the Eswatini King's private jet.
2024-08-13
After Lai Ching-te took office, the “Thunderbolt Operation” was launched again, claiming to have uncovered over a thousand infiltration cases, but Taiwan officials said they do not understand.
2024-05-23
After Lai Ching-te took office as Taiwan's president, CCTV released a poster about unification, which Taiwanese artists successively reposted; Chinese netizens compiled a list of those who had and had not expressed a stance.
2024-01
In the 2024 presidential election, Lai Ching-te was the only candidate to win more than 50% of the vote in Tainan City, out of the 23 counties and cities.