(2 Sep 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taipei – 2 September 2025
1. Wide of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te during ceremony to honor soldiers
2. Various of soldiers receiving awards from Lai
3. Wide of Lai addressing soldiers
4. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s President:
"The current security environment is more severe than ever before. In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has continued to conduct intensive military aircraft and naval operations around the Taiwan Strait, even combining gray-zone harassment and cognitive warfare tactics in an attempt to alter the status quo in the Strait and undermine public confidence. This is not only a threat to Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, but also a challenge to the entire democratic world."
5. Wide of Lai speaking
6. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s President:
"This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. From the victory of WWII to the August 23rd Artillery Bombardment and the September 2nd Taiwan Strait Battle, the most valuable lesson is that unity ensures victory, aggression leads to defeat. It also reminds us that peace is priceless and that in war there are no true winners. But the peace we seek must be real peace, achieved through strength. Only by strengthening our national defense capabilities and fostering unity among all our people can we truly safeguard our sovereignty, democracy, freedom, and human rights."
7. Wide of Lai on stage
8. Pan of Lai leaving
STORYLINE:
Ahead of Taiwan’s Armed Forces Day President Lai Ching-te issued a warning Tuesday over the growing security challenges the self-ruled island faces.
"The current security environment is more severe than ever before," Lai said as he addressed soldiers and officials at a ceremony marking the eve of Taiwan’s Armed Forces Day on Wednesday.
"In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has continued to conduct intensive military aircraft and naval operations around the Taiwan Strait… This is not only a threat to Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, but also a challenge to the entire democratic world."
In his speech, Lai underscored that this year carries symbolic weight as it mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
He drew historical parallels from both the global conflict and Taiwan’s own defense during a 1958 artillery bombardment.
The ceremony comes as Beijing prepares a high-profile military parade on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war.
Missiles, fighter jets and other advanced hardware will be on display as thousands of troops march in Tiananmen Square.
China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to deliver a keynote speech.
Around two dozen foreign leaders will attend the event as Beijing seeks to reinforce ties with nations willing to deepen or maintain relations with China.
AP video shot by: Taijing Wu
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