Lai Ching Te, Taiwan's president, told sailors on a warship that was ready for combat at a major naval base in the Taiwan Strait Friday that he would have their backs. He thanked them for protecting Taiwanese safety at a moment of increased tensions with Beijing.

China, which has claimed democratically governed Taiwan to be its territory despite the objections from the government in Taipei detests Lai and calls him a separatist. In May, shortly after Lai's inauguration, war games were staged around the island.

Lai told sailors aboard the Cheng Ho warship at the Magong Base on the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait that the navy places great value on everyone working together as a team.

As commander in chief of all three services, I would like to emphasize that the government is behind you," he said on a loudspeaker message played throughout the ship.

The Cheng Ho, named after an admiral of the Ming Dynasty and Chinese explorer, is a Taiwanese-built warship that was based on the design of the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry frigate class.

As Lai spoke, a live RIM-66 Standard was ready to launch in its launcher on the bow of the ship.

Lai told officers at a base lunch that the government is committed to improving the weapons of the armed services.

Penghu also has an important airbase, where Taiwanese jets are regularly dispatched to follow Chinese military aircraft or warships that operate around Taiwan.

Lai inspected soldiers at an air defense facility near the base. He watched a drill using a twin-mount Stinger Surface-to-Air missile designed for close-in defense.

Taipei has described the release of video footage by China showing the Penghu Islands as "cognitive war" in which the air force appears to have taken the footage.

Penghu is a popular summer destination in Taiwan, known for its crystal-clear waters and beaches. This is unlike the Taiwan controlled Kinmen and Matsu Islands, which are located right on the Chinese coast. Lai has offered to talk with Beijing several times, but was rejected. He claims that only Taiwanese people can determine their own future. Ben Blanchard reports.

(source: Reuters)