Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen thanked the armed forces for defending the island in her Lunar New Year message on Friday, saying the government had safeguarded peace in the face of China's military drills and pressure.
China, which claims the democratically ruled island as its own territory, has increased military activity around Taiwan during the past three years, including staging war games nearby in August after then U.S.-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei.
