TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan hopes to upgrade joint defense cooperation and intelligence sharing with its diplomatic allies, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Friday.

Lai made the comments during a meeting with a delegation of intelligence officials from Taiwan’s Latin American and Caribbean allies. The visit not only symbolized close relationships, but also represented the determination of the countries to protect freedom, democracy, and shared values, he said.

He praised the multilateral cooperation framework represented by the intelligence officials for producing positive results, per CNA. The group was also helpful for the permanent sharing of intelligence to assist each other in resisting common threats, he added.

Lai listed cyberattacks, misinformation, and infiltration as examples of the threats launched by authoritarian countries against democracies. Only closer cooperation between democracies could prevent the expansion of authoritarian control, the president told his visitors.

Paraguay Intelligence Minister Marco Antonio Alcaraz emphasized how rapid political, social, and technological developments required a rapid and flexible response. He accused China of using hackers to obtain confidential information helpful during trade talks, a practice he described as having a direct impact on the stability and sovereignty of other countries.