ORIANA SYLAR MASTRO is a Center Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and a Nonresident Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan wants peace and dialogue with China but the government must continue to strengthen the island's defences, President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday as he completed one year in office.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te voiced his hope for peace with China, but is boosting the country’s defenses amid Beijing’s frosty approach to peace talks. Speaking with reporters while marking his first year in office, Lai echoed the famous dictum of the Roman writer Vegetius: “If you want peace, prepare for war.”

Taiwan has long been a tense flashpoint between Washington and Beijing. By law, the U.S. is required to help Taiwan defend itself. But there is now a debate about whether Taiwan is spending enough on defense,

Whether all this comes in time remains to be seen. Military analysts fear that China could invade Taiwan as early as 2027. If war comes, Taiwan’s hope and expectation is that the United States will enter the fray. Wargames point to costly fighting and losses if that happens, including the specter of potential escalation to nuclear war.

China has long sought to intimidate Taiwan with its massive navy, air force and the world's largest standing army, but it's mere dinghies that are now causing the most consternation.

As President Lai Ching-te approaches his first year in office, he’s sending a stark warning to the people of Taiwan: If you say anything that threatens the archipelago’s security, there will be consequences.

Taiwan authorities have questioned nearly a dozen celebrities for allegedly dodging their mandatory military draft. The series of high-profile interrogations is a symptom of a longstanding problem recruiting willing and able-bodied men into the military.

Taiwan wants peace and dialogue with China but the government must continue to strengthen the island's defences, President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday as he completed one year in office.