Executive Yuan spokesman has attempted to diffuse outrage over Premier William Lai's comments last week that were deemed disrespectful to LGBT.

At a meeting with several medical contribution award winners on Friday, Lai pointed out that sex between men is currently the leading cause of AIDS in Taiwan, replacing the sharing of drug needles.

Executive Yuan spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung said the premier was referring to "unsafe sex" and reiterated that he meant no disrespect to the gay community, and offered to apologize.

When quizzed on his comments at the event, Lai said he did not disrespect LGBT and was trying to highlight the achievements of medical professionals reducing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs.

He told media he supports the rights of people "to live together with the person they love."