Taiwan’s army commissioned a new fleet of US-made Abrams M1A2T tanks on Friday in a ceremony attended by President Lai Ching-te, marking a significant step in the island’s ongoing effort to modernize its military amid rising tensions with China.

The ceremony, held in the northern city of Hsinchu, featured an inspection of troops and equipment by Lai, who underscored the importance of pairing advanced hardware with new training and strategic thinking.

“We have new equipment and technology, but we also need new training and thinking, and the spirit of asymmetric warfare, to effectively enhance our combat capabilities,” said Lai.

He emphasized that Taiwan’s defense buildup is aimed at preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

“We strengthen national defense to protect our homeland and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” he said.

“Only strength can bring true peace; signing a peace agreement cannot bring peace, and accepting the demands of aggressors and relinquishing sovereignty will certainly not achieve peace.”

Lai reaffirmed his government’s stance against annexation or any form of Chinese political control, saying Taiwan must “remain dignified and determined, maintain the status quo, and resolutely oppose annexation, aggression, and the promotion of unification and ‘one country, two systems.’”

Taiwan purchased 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks from the United States as part of a broader effort to upgrade its defense capabilities.

The first batch of 38 tanks arrived late last year and completed live-fire exercises in July.

A second shipment of 42 tanks arrived this past July, and the final batch of 28 is expected early next year.

The Abrams tanks join other high-end US weapons systems, including upgraded F-16V fighter jets and HIMARS missile launchers, as Taiwan seeks to bolster its defenses against potential military action from China, which claims the self-governed island as its own territory.

AP video by Johnson Lai