Kaohsiung, June 8 -- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Sunday urged bipartisan support for a special budget proposal aimed at enhancing the Coast Guard's emergency response capabilities amid rising tensions in Taiwan's surrounding waters.

Speaking at joint exercises by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) and the Navy in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung, Lai underscored the Coast Guard's vital role in countering China's persistent grey zone activities, Central News Agency (CNA) reported. These activities involve tactics that fall short of open conflict but seek to erode Taiwan's security and sovereignty.

"The Coast Guard stands as our frontline defender, maintaining maritime law and ensuring public safety," Lai said, emphasising the urgency o...