Taiwan President Lai says peace secured through strength on Kinmen battle anniversary

August 23, 2026 at 10:33 AM2 min

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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday that peace can only be secured through strength and not an inch of territory can be sacrificed, speaking on the frontline island of Kinmen. He made the remarks while marking the 68th anniversary of the 1958 battle with Chinese forces that began the second Taiwan Strait crisis. Lai laid a wreath at a memorial park and addressed veterans, urging continued military spending and unity in defending sovereignty.

Key Facts

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te spoke on Kinmen island on August 23, 2026, the 68th anniversary of the 1958 battle with Chinese forces.
Lai said peace is secured through strength and that Taiwan must maintain the spirit of never yielding an inch of territory.
Kinmen is less than 2 km from Chinese-controlled territory, and China's coast guard has conducted regular patrols around the island since early 2024.
The 1958 battle involved more than a month of Chinese bombardment of Kinmen and Matsu, including naval and air battles, and ended in a stalemate with U.S. support for Taiwan.

Kinmen Anniversary Ceremony

Lai laid a wreath and bowed at a memorial park on Kinmen in heavy rain, marking the start of the second Taiwan Strait crisis. He addressed veterans, thanking those who 'stood united and fought a bloody battle to repel Communist totalitarian aggression.' Lai said the 1958 battle proves that peace is secured through strength and called for maintaining the spirit of never yielding an inch of Taiwan, Kinmen, and another group of islands. He also said it was necessary to continuously boost military spending.

Taiwan-China Tensions

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly denounced Lai as a 'separatist'. Lai rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future, but has offered talks with China. China's coast guard has conducted regular 'law enforcement' patrols around Kinmen in Taiwan-controlled waters since early 2024, angering Taipei. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lai's remarks.