Taipei: The government is determined to continue replenishing the manpower of Taiwan's firefighting force as part of an ongoing five-year program after having achieved the first-phase target in 2023, President Lai Ching-te said Monday.

According to Focus Taiwan, the government succeeded in recruiting 3,000 firefighters from 2019 to 2023 and will recruit another 3,000 from 2024 to 2028. This announcement was made during a meeting with the recipients of the 2024 Phoenix Awards, which honor outstanding firefighters, at the Presidential Office.

The president praised and paid tribute to Taiwan's firefighters, volunteers, and educators for their efforts and sacrifices in the field, describing them as the ultimate pillar protecting people's lives and property. Among the honorees was Central Police University professor Wu Guan-yuan, a recipient of this year's Phoenix Awards. Lai lauded Wu for his over 30 years of research and teaching on fighting fires, which has significantly enhanced Taiwan's disaster relief capabilities.

Strengthening whole-of-society resilience is a common goal for all of Taiwan's people, especially in light of threats stemming from the expansion of authoritarianism, climate change, and natural catastrophes, Lai emphasized. He noted the strides Taiwan has made in boosting its resilience since receiving international assistance after the deadly September 21, 1999, earthquake. Lai expressed his commitment to further strengthening Taiwan's disaster prevention and relief system in the future.