President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to continue bolstering Taiwan’s defense capabilities through promoting military reforms and increasing spending while meeting with Japanese parliamentarians, and reiterated a similar message in a meeting with US lawmakers on the same day.

Lai made the remarks while hosting a delegation led by Japanese Representative Shigeru Ishiba, adding that Taiwan and Japan should shore up their ties to secure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Taiwan and Japan have an abiding friendship that has grown stronger from the shared challenges of earthquakes and the global COVID-19 pandemic, Lai said, adding that the two nations have a brotherly bond.