Vice President Lai Ching-te visited the Armed Forces in the southern region today as he learned about the current build-up and preparation work of relevant units of the Armed Forces. During the visit, he affirmed the efforts of service personnel of the Armed Forces as they devote a lot of effort in troop training, combat readiness, and other related work, and offered a food allowance to express his encouragement to our brothers and sisters in the Armed Forces for their hard work. Today marked the first stop in a national defense tour by the Vice President during the administration handover.

The Vice President indicated that national defense is the cornerstone of national security. In recent years, our country has systematically increased the budget for national defense, reformed the conscription and reserve system, and introduced new combat force levels. Such measures aim to enhance the national defense strength of Taiwan as a whole, deter any threats against the security of our country, and ensure the well-bing and stability of Taiwan and the region.

The Vice President believes that relevant efforts have achieved remarkable results in the past eight years under the leadership of President Tsai, and the world has witnessed the determination of the Taiwanese people to safeguard their own country. In the future, the government will continue to support the Armed Forces, and work hand-in-hand to protect the homeland of freedom and democracy.

The Vice President was also accompanied by Chiu Kuo-cheng, Minister of National Defense, Liu De-jin, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council, Huang Chong-yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Presidential Office, and Chen Yi-ling, Director of the Office of the Vice President on the visit.

The Vice President pays a visit to troops of the Armed Forces.