Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said the island aimed to deepen its cooperation with like-minded countries to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and to defend democractic values.

The self-ruled island had won recognition from the international community for building a democratic and free society over the years, and recent moves by the United States and Japan to step up their ties with Taipei reflected the vital role it played in the stability of the region, Tsai said during a high-level symposium on Sunday.

Leaders of the U.S. and Japan made a joint statement last week in Washington, stressing their efforts to work together to stabilize the Taiwan Strait. A delegation led by former U.S. senator Christopher Dodd — a close friend of President Joe Biden — also visited Taiwan to mark the 42nd anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, a legislation that governs the U.S.’s ties with the island.

Tsai stressed that her government would do everything it could to protect its sovereignty and territory and would never compromise the island’s freedom and democracy.

Vice President William Lai said Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region had entered a key moment, since mainland China under President Xi Jinping’s leadership was trying to expand its control.

The island was facing more severe threats from Beijing, such as its efforts to create divisiveness in Taiwan and to suppress the island’s international exposure, Lai said.

Xi has also refused to give up the possibility of using force to annex Taiwan, Lai said, adding that it was necessary for the island to strengthen itself in order to protect its way of life and the freedom and democratic values enjoyed by its people.

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