TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Monday reaffirmed his goal of working with global partners to create a democratic umbrella to counter authoritarianism.

Speaking at the Yushan Forum, Lai said Taiwan seeks to “shield like-minded nations from the threats posed by authoritarian expansion” and jointly strengthen global peace and prosperity, according to the Presidential Office. “Taiwan strongly believes that there is no freedom without solidarity,” he said.

The president said Taiwan has decoupled from the Chinese market. In 2010, about 83.8% of the country’s overseas investment went to China. Last year, investment in China dropped to 3.75%.

Taiwanese investment in EU countries has increased by 650% over the past decade, Lai said. Meanwhile, the US became Taiwan’s largest export market last year, and exports to New Southbound countries grew by 30.5%.

This reflects Taiwan’s efforts to diversify markets and expand global trade ties.

Taiwan is also making advancements in silicon photonics, quantum technology, and robotics, Lai said. The country “will always play a major role” in whichever endeavor it pursues.

Lai emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to “peace through strength” with allies to maintain regional peace and stability. This is why his administration proposed a special defense budget and is boosting defense spending, which has reached 3.32% of GDP this year.

Taiwan expects to reach 5% of GDP by 2030, Lai said. The country is also beefing up its asymmetric capabilities and building up whole-of-society defense and resilience, “so that we can respond to any threat or challenge,” he added.

As Taiwan continues to progress, it will leverage its global partnerships to “make the world more stable, prosperous, and sustainable,” the president said.