By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday China has deepened its influence campaigns and infiltration against the democratic island, pledging measures to tackle Beijing's efforts to "absorb" Taiwan.

Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te says tougher measures are needed to counter stepped-up Chinese infiltration, spying and other efforts to weaken the island’s defenses.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said the government will work to let military tribunals operate in peacetime and announced a tightening of rules governing exchanges with China, underscoring growing concerns about Beijing’s operations on the island and in its armed forces.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday China has deepened its influence campaign and infiltration against the democratic island, adding his government will propose various measures to counter Beijing efforts to "absorb" Taiwan.

Taiwan has accused China of stepping up military drills, trade sanctions and influence campaigns against the island in recent years to force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty claims. Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with senior security officials,

Taiwan plans to reinstate military judges to hear Chinese espionage cases involving Taiwanese service members, President Lai Ching-te said Thursday.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on Thursday vowed to bolster the country's national security in response, including reinstatement of the military trials, to what he described as the "unchanged" annexation ambitions of the "hostile foreign force" China,