President Lai Ching-te said Jan. 1 that the government is committed to building a safer, smarter, more resilient and more prosperous Taiwan, achieving more balanced development across the country and promoting democratic unity.
Lai made the remarks in his New Year’s Day address at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. He first praised Taiwan’s achievements last year, including a 15-year high economic growth rate of approximately 7.37 percent and the launch of Formosat-8’s Chi Po-lin satellite.
The president promised that Taiwan would staunchly defend national sovereignty, strengthen national defense, enhance whole-of-society resilience and establish robust deterrence and democratic defense mechanisms. He also urged the passing of an eight-year special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion).
The government is working to make Taiwan an Asian asset management hub, Lai said, adding that plans such as the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects initiative ensure Taiwan retains its advantages. He noted that the government is also assisting micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises maintain their competitiveness during the transformation, he noted.
To promote democratic unity throughout Taiwan, Lai said he is prepared to deliver a state of the national address to the Legislative Yuan if requested to in accordance with the constitutional methods stipulated by Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution to promote cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.
Lai concluded by noting continued international support for Taiwan, saying that countries including Japan, the EU, the U.K. and the U.S. have all made statements on the importance of cross-strait peace and stability. He ended with a pledge to protect the country’s hard-earned free and democratic way of life and to lead the nation ever onward. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
Lai made the remarks in his New Year’s Day address at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. He first praised Taiwan’s achievements last year, including a 15-year high economic growth rate of approximately 7.37 percent and the launch of Formosat-8’s Chi Po-lin satellite.
The president promised that Taiwan would staunchly defend national sovereignty, strengthen national defense, enhance whole-of-society resilience and establish robust deterrence and democratic defense mechanisms. He also urged the passing of an eight-year special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion).
The government is working to make Taiwan an Asian asset management hub, Lai said, adding that plans such as the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects initiative ensure Taiwan retains its advantages. He noted that the government is also assisting micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises maintain their competitiveness during the transformation, he noted.
To promote democratic unity throughout Taiwan, Lai said he is prepared to deliver a state of the national address to the Legislative Yuan if requested to in accordance with the constitutional methods stipulated by Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution to promote cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.
Lai concluded by noting continued international support for Taiwan, saying that countries including Japan, the EU, the U.K. and the U.S. have all made statements on the importance of cross-strait peace and stability. He ended with a pledge to protect the country’s hard-earned free and democratic way of life and to lead the nation ever onward. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
from Taiwan Today – Top News