HONG KONG, July 30. /TASS/. Taiwan will continue to strengthen its defense capabilities and purchase weapons from abroad, Chief Executive Lai Ching-te said.

According to the Central News Agency, the head of the administration pointed out that he will maintain former leader Tsai Ing-wen's course of "strengthening national defense," which includes relying on its own forces and continuing to purchase arms from abroad.

Lai Ching-te also said that Taipei, along with other "democratic countries" in the region, intends to use a policy of deterrence against mainland China. In this regard, he pointed out that he sees that NATO countries, as well as the US, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and India are committed to "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, Taiwan has retained the flag and some other attributes of the former Republic of China that existed on the mainland before the Communists took power. Official Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China. The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established relations with China. While recognizing the one-China policy, Washington continues to maintain contacts with the Taipei government. The US is Taiwan’s main arms supplier.