President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the joint graduation ceremony of the R.O.C.'s eight military academies as commander-in-chief of Taiwan’s armed forces in Beitou Fuxinggang on Thursday morning. The graduation includes the R.O.C. Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, National Defense University Fu Hsing Kang College, Management College, Chung Cheng Institute of Technology, National Defense Medical Center, and Air Force Institute of Technology.
In his remarks, Lai congratulated the new graduates on their achievements and encouraged them to continue to hone their skills and embody the spirit of Duty, Honor, and Country.
Lai also said he supports recent national defense reforms by Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄). He encouraged the new graduates to embrace the spirit of innovation as Taiwan faces different challenges in a new age.
Towards the end of the ceremony, Lai took photos with all 1,747 graduates and expressed his hope that in their future military careers they will uphold the value of Taiwan’s democracy and protect the country.