Taiwan President Lai Ching Te said that peace in the Taiwan Strait is beneficial to the entire world, and the international community believes there cannot be prosperity or security without it.

China, which considers democratically governed Taiwan to be its territory, has increased its pressure on Lai who it sees as a separatist. It also staged two days worth of wargames around the island following his appointment last month.

China has increased its military activities in the narrow Strait, an important international waterway, by a massive amount over the last four years. Warplanes and warships are regularly flown there.

Lai told new recruits in Taichung, a city located in central Taiwan, that every drop of sweat they shed was for the protection of Taiwan's safety.

He said, "The international community is convinced that the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are essential for global security and prosperity."

Lai continued, "All nations agree that any country using force in the Taiwan Strait to alter the status quo is unacceptable. This includes the United States, Japan and South Korea, as well as the leaders of other countries."

He said, "Our efforts are for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan's safety, our democratic, freedom system, and for continued economic development." "Peace along the Taiwan Strait is good for global peace."

Next month, Taiwan will hold its annual Han Kuang drills which will this year be as close to actual combat as possible given the officials' view that China is becoming a greater threat.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry has revealed that in the last week it detected a total 203 Chinese military planes operating near the island, some of which were as close as 31 nautical mile (57 km).

China threatened last week to prosecute "diehard" Taiwan Independence supporters and execute them in the most severe cases. Taiwan warned its citizens to avoid China.

Lai has offered to talk with China on numerous occasions, but was rejected. He rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty and insists that only Taiwan’s people have the right to decide its future. (Reporting and writing by Fabian Hamacher, Ann Wang; writing by Ben Blanchard; editing by Lincoln Feast.