President Lai Ching-te says he believes that successful defense of Kinmen in
1958 is a prime example of "peace through strength.

Lai made the comments as he took part in the annual memorial of the
anniversary of a Chinese artillery bombardment of Kinmen which marked the
beginning of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.

Lai said the heroes in Kinmen - regardless of the their backgrounds - united
as one to repel the aggression of communist totalitarianism and urged
cross-party unity to supporting his 2027 defense budget.

The president said victory in the 1958 battle stands as the ultimate proof
that "peace is secured through strength" and the only guarantee of peace lies
in safeguarding every single inch of the nation's territory while
continuously strengthening and investing in national defense.

Kinmen was peppered with 475,000 artillery shells over a 44 day period.

During the ceremony, Lai burned incense, laid a wreath, and bowed his head to
pay his respects amid pouring rain to the soldiers who successfully repelled
the attempted Chinese invasion of Kinmen.