Taiwan ’s President Lai Ching-te said the island can draw lessons from Israel to bolster its defences, invoking the David versus Goliath story as a reminder of resisting authoritarian pressure.

Taiwan has been a strong backer of Israel since the 2023 Hamas-led attack on that country, which triggered the war in Gaza, though Israel, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.

Attending a Monday night dinner in Taiwan of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Lai, who has also been courting conservative U.S. media in an effort to win support from the White House, said that Jewish people have suffered constant persecution throughout their history.

“The Taiwanese people often look to the example of the Jewish people when facing challenges to our internation

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