President Lai meets delegation led by US House RSC National Security Task Force Chairman Zach Nunn

On the afternoon of April 7, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Representative Zach Nunn, chairman of the National Security Task Force of the United States House Republican Study Committee (RSC) . In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation for showing support for Taiwan through direct action during this pivotal time. The president emphasized that Taiwan knows full well that peace depends on strength, while strength depends on resilience, and that the government is unwavering in its commitment to enhancing Taiwan-US cooperation, ensuring national security, and maintaining cross-strait stability and regional peace.

A translation of President Lai's remarks follows:

On behalf of the people of Taiwan, it is my pleasure to welcome Congressman Nunn and his delegation. I thank the delegation for showing support for Taiwan through direct action during this pivotal time. In just a few days, it will be April 10, when we will mark the 47th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The TRA and the Six Assurances form an important cornerstone of Taiwan-US relations and have stood as witnesses to our continually deepening friendship.

The RSC is one of the most prominent groups in the US House of Representatives. The RSC's National Security Task Force, chaired by Congressman Nunn, honors the principle of peace through strength and monitors threats posed by authoritarian regimes to regional security. I would like to express my deepest respect for the task force's contributions to regional peace and stability.

In recent years, China has frequently conducted gray-zone operations and military exercises around Taiwan, severely undermining regional peace and stability. Taiwan knows full well that peace depends on strength, while strength depends on resilience. It is the government's duty to protect our country. Therefore, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities and do its utmost to safeguard regional peace and stability.

Our national defense spending, as it is defined by NATO, has already surpassed 3 percent of GDP this year, and we aim for this figure to reach 5 percent by 2030.  This demonstrates Taiwan's firm determination to defend itself. At the same time, our government has proposed an eight-year, US$40 billion special defense budget. We will expand investment in our indigenous defense industry, build up asymmetric warfare capabilities, and work with the US and other countries that have advanced military industries to jointly build a robust line of defense to safeguard the values of freedom and democracy.

I especially want to thank the members of Congress here today for their attention to and support for Taiwan's defense capabilities. I must emphasize that my administration is unwavering in its commitment to enhancing Taiwan-US cooperation, ensuring national security, and maintaining cross-strait stability and regional peace. Furthermore, I want to thank the US Congress for including initiatives in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in recent years that have helped to deepen Taiwan-US cooperation and improve Taiwan's security. In particular, the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026 includes Taiwan-US drone coproduction and counter-drone provisions . This signals a shift from a “buyer-seller” relationship toward a true defense industry partnership between our two countries. 

In addition to the military industry, Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation has continued to grow in recent years. Last year, Taiwan became the fourth-largest trading partner of the US. The home states of the congresspeople here have close ties with Taiwan. So, I hope that the US Congress will pass legislation for avoidance of double taxation between Taiwan and the US at the earliest possible juncture, so as to further strengthen Taiwan-US economic and trade relations.

In closing, I wish you all a pleasant and rewarding visit and anticipate Taiwan-US cooperation producing even greater outcomes. 

Chairman Nunn then delivered remarks, first expressing his gratitude to President Lai and the Taiwan government for the warm welcome and assistance extended to the delegation. He stated that the delegation travels from Washington to Taiwan with a clear message: American support for Taiwan remains strong. He said that the RSC is the largest caucus in Congress, with 190 members, all of the Republican majority. He added that it has long believed that the first line of defense for America's national security and the prosperity of both our nations runs through the Indo-Pacific, and that Taiwan is the center of that security picture.

Chairman Nunn noted that President Lai's personal story resonates deeply with many Americans. Mentioning that he himself grew up in a working-class family as the son of a teacher, the chairman said that President Lai came from humble beginnings in a coal-mining family and was raised by a single mother who cared for six children alone, and that through his own discipline, spirit of service, and determination, President Lai worked his way to become the nation's highest leader. Over the course of his journey, he said, President Lai built a professional career as a physician and pursued advanced studies at Harvard University in the US; he also served as a legislator and mayor, dedicating many years to serving his constituents. Today, he said, President Lai leads a democracy that has garnered global attention, and his background has shaped a leadership style that is now fully on display on the international stage. The chairman said that under President Lai's leadership and through the steadfast will of its people, Taiwan has established a vibrant democratic society, a thriving economy, and a community that chooses freedom over authoritarianism. Such a choice, he emphasized, deserves the respect and support of the international community.

Chairman Nunn emphasized that the delegation's visit is intended not merely as a verbal reaffirmation of support, but as an opportunity to gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges Taiwan faces, both now and in the future. He noted that such insight ensures that the US and Congress can remain a steadfast partner in the collective pursuit of democracy. He said that the delegation recognizes that the threats to Taiwan's security are real, and the RSC truly believes in peace through strength, adding that it is included in our economic partnership. He pointed out that our economies are better when we are working together, so deepening trade and investment ties between the US and Taiwan is not just good economic policy, it is a sound strategy for both our nations.

Chairman Nunn said that when the delegation returns to Washington, they will make the case to their colleagues not only that Taiwan matters, but American security and prosperity and the cause of freedom around the world are tied to the future of Taiwan.
 
Following his remarks, Chairman Nunn presented a copy of his remarks in the US Congressional Record  to President Lai in which he expresses admiration for the president's leadership of Taiwan.

The delegation also included US House of Representatives members Scott Fitzgerald, Julie Fedorchak, and Jefferson Shreve.