Taiwan President Lai Ching-te declared that China's threat to any individual country constitutes a global threat, emphasizing the need for democracies to unite against authoritarianism during a conference in Taipei. He reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to defensive self-reliance and foreign arms purchases while promoting regional peace and stability. Lai's remarks were made at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) summit, where he expressed gratitude to lawmakers from multiple countries for their support. The conference was marred by reports of Chinese officials attempting to interfere with the participation of several lawmakers, which IPAC condemned as an infringement on democratic rights. Lai's government views China's increasing military pressure as an attempt to assert sovereignty over Taiwan, which Taipei strongly opposes. His administration aims to bolster alliances with global democracies, particularly in light of escalating threats from Beijing.