President Lai Ching-te attended an international press reception June 18 in Taipei City, where he expressed hope that the international community would more deeply understand the free, resolute and prosperous Taiwan.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election, in which the high voter turnout conveyed the strong message that Taiwan’s sovereignty rests in the hands of the people and that they hold the right to determine the country’s leader, Lai said. Taiwan’s democratic transformation confers both legal authority and democratic legitimacy upon the government, he noted, adding that Taiwan’s future can only be decided by its 23 million people.
The president further asserted that neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other and that Taiwan is not a part of the PRC.
Taiwan’s achievements over the past 30 years have received global acclaim, Lai said, citing the country’s rank of second in Asia in both the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index and Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report. He added that Taiwan’s economic growth rate is projected to reach 9.64 percent this year and that the country is a trustworthy international partner in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence applications, computing infrastructure and global supply chains.
Lai took the opportunity to thank the Group of Seven leaders for their latest joint statement, which reaffirms their opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the Taiwan Strait status quo, saying that Taiwan will work with global partners to maintain cross-strait peace and stability and calling on China to halt its military expansion and to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. He added that under the principles of parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China to promote peace and mutual prosperity.
The president then answered questions from the press corps. He pledged to continue promoting 17 major national security strategies; dealing with Exclusive Economic Zone disputes in line with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea; fostering cooperation with Japan in areas spanning defense and economic security, technology and people-to-people exchanges; and working with regional partners to stabilize development in the Indo-Pacific. (YCH-E)
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This year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election, in which the high voter turnout conveyed the strong message that Taiwan’s sovereignty rests in the hands of the people and that they hold the right to determine the country’s leader, Lai said. Taiwan’s democratic transformation confers both legal authority and democratic legitimacy upon the government, he noted, adding that Taiwan’s future can only be decided by its 23 million people.
The president further asserted that neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other and that Taiwan is not a part of the PRC.
Taiwan’s achievements over the past 30 years have received global acclaim, Lai said, citing the country’s rank of second in Asia in both the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index and Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report. He added that Taiwan’s economic growth rate is projected to reach 9.64 percent this year and that the country is a trustworthy international partner in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence applications, computing infrastructure and global supply chains.
Lai took the opportunity to thank the Group of Seven leaders for their latest joint statement, which reaffirms their opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the Taiwan Strait status quo, saying that Taiwan will work with global partners to maintain cross-strait peace and stability and calling on China to halt its military expansion and to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. He added that under the principles of parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China to promote peace and mutual prosperity.
The president then answered questions from the press corps. He pledged to continue promoting 17 major national security strategies; dealing with Exclusive Economic Zone disputes in line with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea; fostering cooperation with Japan in areas spanning defense and economic security, technology and people-to-people exchanges; and working with regional partners to stabilize development in the Indo-Pacific. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
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