TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) unveiled a sweeping initiative on Wednesday (July 2) aimed at recognizing the military's unwavering dedication to national defense. Speaking during the fourth installment of his "Ten Lectures on National Unity" series, Lai announced that uniformed service members will now enjoy priority boarding privileges on international flights operated by six Taiwanese carriers, including the flagship China Airlines (中華), EVA Air (長榮), and the luxury upstart Starlux Airlines (星宇).
The president has directed Minister of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部), Taiwan's transportation ministry, Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) to implement an even more substantial benefit: upgrading service members to business class when seats remain unfilled. During his address, Lai extolled the armed forces for their exemplary dedication, emphasizing their critical contributions beyond traditional defense roles, including disaster relief operations and pandemic response efforts. The president highlighted a pattern of financial support for military personnel, noting that salary increases for uniformed services, civil servants, and educators have continued uninterrupted since the administration of his predecessor, former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), with enhanced compensation packages for volunteer and combat troops announced earlier this year in March.
In his address, Lai praised former President Tsai's ambitious infrastructure initiative to modernize aging barracks and training facilities across the island, describing the ongoing renovations completed in June as the most comprehensive military infrastructure overhaul in several decades. The current administration, Lai assured, remains dedicated to expanding support systems for service members through new programs centered on military family welfare, childcare subsidies, and enhanced professional development opportunities. These benefits, alongside the newly announced free travel privileges and priority boarding procedures set to take effect this month, reflect what the president characterized as a shift toward more compassionate and humanistic management of military personnel. ◼