President 
Lai Ching-te paid tribute to Taiwan's fallen service members on Sept. 3 as the country marked Armed Forces Day, pledging his government would take care of those now serving in the military. Lai said military personnel, civil servants and teachers would receive an across-the-board 4% pay rise from January, the government's fifth pay increase for them in 10 years, CNA reported.
Lai said the core of defense capability is people, and that the government supports national defense and will take care of its officers and soldiers. Last year the government approved higher allowances including those for volunteer personnel, combat units, air control, electronic reconnaissance and cyber warfare, he said. Drone units were added to the combat-unit allowance in February, and a third category of that allowance introduced in July pays an extra NT$4,000 a month to personnel in brigade-level and smaller units that provide combat sustainment, with conscripts in combat units paid the same. Professional and supervisory allowances for military personnel, civil servants and teachers each rose by NT$2,000 in July, he said.
In a Facebook post headed "Unite behind the armed forces!", Lai expressed his deepest respect to all service members and thanked their families for their long-standing support. "Soldiers guard the nation, the government takes care of the armed forces, all sectors of society give their support, and the people cherish democracy and freedom," he said.
Lai also presided over the autumn memorial rite for martyrs and personnel who died on duty at the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine in Taipei's Yuanshan, with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Premier Cho Jung-tai and Examination Yuan President Chou Hung-hsien as co-officiants, CNA reported. After the national anthem, he laid flowers before the spirit tablets of the revolutionary martyrs and, following the reading of the memorial address, led the co-officiants and other participants in three bows. He then shook hands with representatives of the martyrs' families.
Legislative Speaker 
Han Kuo-yu requested leave for other business and did not attend, while Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang also had other commitments. Acting Judicial Yuan President Hsieh Ming-yan was away on an overseas study trip, CNA reported. The heads of the five branches of government usually join the president as co-officiants at the rite, but the Judicial Yuan vice presidency and the Control Yuan presidency are both vacant.
Figures referenced: Lai Ching-te, Han Kuo-yu. — JudgeMarket.
