Taiwan's president used the National Day address to project confidence, touting record economic numbers while warning that China keeps pressing to change the status quo.

• Taiwan's economy grew sharply in the first half of the year, with full-year growth on track for a 39-year high and the stock market now the world's fourth largest.
• The plan is to turn that growth into everyday relief: higher pay, lower taxes, a monthly allowance for every child up to age 18, and a one-off cash handout to every citizen next year.
• China's military pressure and "gray zone" tactics drew the sharpest language, paired with pledges to build asymmetric defenses and a homegrown arms industry using Taiwan's chip and electronics strength.
• Talks between Washington and Beijing to manage their rivalry are welcome, but any deal must respect Taiwan's right to decide its own future and not rewrite WWII history.
• Thirteen priority industries — chips, AI, robotics, quantum, military tech, critical minerals, tourism — are meant to secure the next decade's edge, so Taiwan has "mountains," not one lone chip giant.

Outlook: Local elections later this cycle will test how much of this agenda holds, while Beijing's pressure and the US-China talks set the near-term risk.