![Taiwan leader urges unity on Chinese attack anniversary](https://www.americanmarconiwirelessnews.com/media/shared/articles/60/d2/ce/Taiwan-leader-urges-unity-on-Chines-500345.jpg)
-
Business groups ask Ottawa to prevent Air Canada strike
-
Cooler weather helps, but Los Angeles fires still out of control
-
Macron, ex-PM remember bloody liberation of French port
-
Noel Gallagher's 'Brit Pop' guitars go under hammer
-
US clears way for hearing aid feature in new Apple AirPods Pro
-
Hamilton not disappointed by Newey move to Aston Martin
-
Final report clears WADA in Chinese swimmers case, adds rules need strengthening
-
US calls for Africa to get two permanent UN Security Council seats
-
Burrow's Bengals aim to bounce back against Chiefs
-
Ingebrigtsen says getting stronger, bullish over world records
-
Putin warns West risks 'war' if it backs Ukraine long-range strikes
-
Peru mourns divisive former strongman Fujimori
-
Vaughan's son takes 11 wickets as Somerset revive title bid by beating champions Surrey
-
Long-awaited case on Man City charges to start on Monday: report
-
PSG refuse League order to pay Mbappe disputed €55 million
-
Harris, Trump target swing states after fierce debate
-
Ten Hag hits back at Ronaldo criticism over Man Utd ambition
-
Oscar hopefuls to bookend US French film festival
-
UN chief calls for 'courage' ahead of Summit of the Future
-
French rugby federation blames 'poorly managed' supervision for youth player drowning
-
Movie producer Harvey Weinstein indicted on new charges: US media
-
Ex-Scotland captain Hogg to miss Montpellier match after bail release
-
'Historic': Bad weather slashes wine harvest in France's Jura
-
ECB rate cut boosts European stocks, euro
-
Piastri not 'pulling over' for Norris at every race
-
'Energised' Tebogo looking to close season with Diamond League bang
-
Millions in SE Asia battle floods, death toll passes 250
-
Fiat 500 electric production pauses for one month
-
London Fashion Week opens with Charli XCX party and second-hand runways
-
ECB cuts rates again, Lagarde backs EU reform call
-
Storm Francine downgraded but still drenching US south
-
Everton say 'work to be done' on Textor takeover
-
Shelling kills 3 Red Cross workers in E.Ukraine
-
Shelling kills 3 Red Cross workers killed in E.Ukraine
-
Iran president makes 'historic' visit to Iraqi Kurdistan
-
Brigitte Macron awarded damages over false trans claim
-
ECB rate cut boosts Europeans stocks, euro
-
Deadly Israeli strike on Gaza school draws global condemnation
-
Russia recaptures part of Kursk region
-
Bike-loving Dutch grapple with 'fatbike' phenomena
-
Ahead of Champions League warm-up, PSG are soaring and Brest slumping
-
ECB cuts rates again as inflation slows
-
Denmark's von Trier to direct a new film
-
Arteta agrees new Arsenal deal
-
Jon Bon Jovi helps woman standing on edge of US bridge
-
SpaceX makes history with first spacewalks by private citizens
-
England's Livingstone 'feels like a kid again' after injury setbacks
-
Brazil urges EU to suspend 'punitive' anti-deforestation law
-
Myanmar residents flee deadly floods in boats and on makeshift rafts
-
Power struggle and chaotic player trading: What's going at Chelsea?
![Taiwan leader urges unity on Chinese attack anniversary](https://www.americanmarconiwirelessnews.com/media/shared/articles/60/d2/ce/Taiwan-leader-urges-unity-on-Chines-500345.jpg)
Taiwan leader urges unity on Chinese attack anniversary
Taiwanese must "unite as one" against the threat from China, President Lai Ching-te said Friday, as the island marked the 66th anniversary of a deadly Chinese artillery attack.
Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
The anniversary of the assault on the Kinmen islands, known as the "823 bombardment", comes as China has ramped up military and political pressure on Taiwan in recent years.
Controlled by Taiwan, the islands lie just three miles from the Chinese coast.
Lai, who took office in May, laid a wreath to commemorate the bombardment's victims at a cemetery during his first trip to Kinmen as president.
"We must be determined to protect Taiwan" and carry on the spirit of the soldiers who faced the 823 bombardment, he said at a banquet attended by veterans and their families.
China's People's Liberation Army fired 470,000 shells at Kinmen and nearby islets in 1958, killing 618 servicemen and civilians in an attack that lasted 44 days.
"At present, the threat Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu face from China is no less than previous years," he said, referring to three outlying island chains under Taipei's control.
"If we want to resist the threat from China in the future, we must unite as one... We have only one goal -- defend national sovereignty and safeguard democracy".
Lai has been labelled a "dangerous separatist" by China for his staunch defence of Taiwan's sovereignty, and Beijing conducted large-scale military drills around the island just days after his inauguration.
Taiwan's military has been reporting near-daily sightings of Chinese warships around its waters, as well as sorties by fighter jets and drones around the island.
On Friday, the defence ministry said 41 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels were detected in a 24-hour window ending at 6:00 am (2200 GMT Thursday).
Y.Kobayashi--AMWN