Keep out of China's clutches, Taiwan's president tells military cadets

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te warned military cadets on Tuesday not to succumb to China's spying ‌activities and to defend freedom and democracy, speaking at a Cold War-era college originally set up to teach against the perils of communism.

Taiwan and China, which views the democratically governed island ‌as its own territory, have long spied on each other, ⁠and Taiwan in particular has reported an increased number ⁠of Chinese espionage ⁠cases, especially in the armed forces.

China has never renounced the use of force ‌to bring Taiwan under its control, and its military operates daily around the ⁠island.

A soldier's honor stems from loyalty, ⁠Lai told a graduation ceremony at the Fu Hsing Kang College on the outskirts of Taipei.

"In the face of various threats and challenges, as well as China's infiltration, division, sabotage, and espionage activities targeting our armed ⁠forces, I ask all of you to establish a clear awareness ⁠of friend and foe," he said.

"Only by ‌resisting all forms of threat and temptation can we defend our nation's sovereignty and security."

He urged the graduates to oppose communism, guard against infiltration, firmly uphold democracy and freedom, and insist that the Republic ‌of China and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, using Taiwan's formal name.

The college, now part of the National Defence University, was founded in 1951, just two years after the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan, after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists.

Initially its task was to train officers in political warfare and instill a deep ​feeling of anti-communism in the military, and it still has a very old-school feel.

On either side of the hall where Lai spoke are large Chinese ‌characters reading "I regard the nation's rise or fall as my own personal responsibility", written by former Taiwan leader Chiang Kai-shek shortly before his death in 1975.

Chiang is a polarizing figure in ‌Taiwan today, reviled by some for his brutal rule but revered by ⁠others for his strong opposition ⁠to communism.

During the Cold War the college ​also trained officers from elsewhere in the anti-communist world and it ⁠still has foreign students.

Attending ‌Tuesday's ceremony were the ambassadors of Belize, Guatemala and Paraguay, ​all countries that retain formal ties with Taiwan, as was the de facto ambassador from Jordan, which does not recognize Taiwan, despite close Cold War military ties.

© Thomson Reuters 2026.