TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) received a delegation from the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security at the Presidential Office on Thursday.

According to the Office of the President, Lai emphasized Taiwan’s resolve to fortify self-defense, resist pressure from China, counter disinformation, and deepen cooperation with the US and allies.

Lai reaffirmed that Taiwan sits along the crucial “first island chain” and faces ongoing Chinese military coercion and gray-zone tactics, saying, “peace must rely on strength, and strength depends on resilience.”

IIPS chairman Randall G. Schriver praised Taiwan’s democratic values and expressed solidarity, saying the group intends to build international support for Taipei. He noted Taiwan’s exclusion from UN bodies under Chinese pressure and pledged to advocate more actively for Taiwan’s global engagement, adding that while US–Taiwan relations have advanced steadily, much work remains. Schriver called for deeper cooperation in areas such as trade and security, including the timely delivery of US arms.

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) also attended the meeting.