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\n In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te (center) is accompanied by his Vice President Bi-Khim Hsiao (second right) and officials wave national flags as they attend a New Year flag raising ceremony at the Presidential Office, in Taipei, Taiwan, on Thursday, Jan. 1.
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<\/p>\n Taiwan Presidential Office\/AP<\/p>\n <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n TAIPEI, Taiwan \u2014 Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Thursday vowed to defend the self-ruled island’s sovereignty in the face of China’s “expansionist ambitions,” days after Beijing wrapped up live-fire military drills <\/a>near its shores.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “In the face of China’s rising expansionist ambitions, the international community is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people have the resolve to defend themselves,” Lai said in his New Year’s address.<\/p>\n “As president, my stance has always been clear: to firmly safeguard national sovereignty, strengthen national defense and the resilience of the whole society, and comprehensively construct an effective deterrence and democratic defense mechanism,” he added.<\/p>\n Lai’s comments came days after China wrapped up live-fire drills around Taiwan featuring rocket launches, aircraft and warships. Beijing had expressed anger at a planned U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, as well as at Japan’s new leader’s comments that Tokyo could intervene in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.<\/p>\n