Taiwan President Lai launches World Disaster Management Alliance

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te addressed the ‘2026 Presidential Office International Forum on Societal Defense Resilience’ on September 19, emphasizing the need for strength, resilience, and unity to maintain the status quo against increasing threats. Lai noted that Taiwan’s defense budget has doubled over the past decade and is expected to exceed 3% of GDP next year, with a goal of reaching 5% by 2030.

During the forum, Lai announced the formal establishment of the World Disaster Management Alliance (WADM). This international organization includes 11 diplomatic allies and Somaliland as founding members, with 21 other countries—including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany—participating as observers or partners. The alliance aims to facilitate joint training, information sharing, and mutual support for disaster prevention, response, and recovery.

Lai also highlighted recent civil-military exercises, including a large-scale urban resilience drill involving 17 million people to practice backup communications. He stated that defending Taiwan is a collective responsibility involving both military and civilian sectors to ensure the continuity of government and social functions during natural disasters or man-made crises.