President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) urged opposition parties on Wednesday to adopt a rational and pragmatic approach toward the special budget for the Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Force initiative, after they blocked the bill from being placed on the Legislature’s agenda once again. Lai made these remarks before attending the 2025 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Awards Ceremony in Taipei.

He emphasized that while democracies may experience internal competition, all sides must unite in the face of external threats. He pointed out that China's intimidation targets Taiwan and also puts pressure on neighboring countries, which are responding by expanding their defense partnerships. Lai insisted that the Defense Ministry’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) plan is vital for strengthening Taiwan's resilience and ensuring regional stability and should not be obstructed at the procedural stage.

Lai called for the bill to move forward for committee review to foster public understanding and ensure transparent oversight. He stated, "We absolutely cannot shy away from our country’s important responsibility for regional peace and stability. If we fail to fulfill this obligation, we will encounter even greater challenges in the face of China's threats. I hope the opposition parties can clearly comprehend this."

He also criticized China’s recent military maneuvers in East Asian waters as “highly inappropriate,” urging Beijing to act responsibly and stressing, “Peace has no price, and war has no winners.”