The viewpoint of Taiwan is more important than ever for Asia-
Pacific democracies when facing current challenges, former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said in Taipei yesterday.
Turnbull made the remark in his keynote speech titled “Democratic Leadership in a Populist Age” at an annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI) think tank.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The challenges posed by authoritarian governments are becoming more serious, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made NATO stronger and the Western world more united in defending democracy, he said.
Ukrainians’ tenacious and courageous fight against Russia demonstrated that “democracies must support each other,” Turnbull said.
Democracies in the Asia-Pacific region should “ensure the strong does not do as they will,” and defend democracy and the right of nations to determine their own destinies free from coercion, he said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Another great threat to democracy is disinformation, spread by external forces and domestic conspiracy theorists, Turnbull said.
He warned against the dominance of social media, which has transformed the media landscape and made society more divided.
A diversity of voices helps reduce the risk of monopolies, but audiences in today’s world often only hear the voice most similar to their own and media are striving to capture their attention by presenting increasingly extreme views, Turnbull said.
To defend democratic resilience in the social media era, people need to “stand up for truth and call out lies for what they are,” which requires input from the government and responsible media organizations, he said.
Trust can be built on the foundation of truth and transparency, he added.
Turnbull, who serves as chair of CAPRI’s International Advisory Council, is making his first visit to Taiwan.
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), in his speech at the forum, said that Taiwan demonstrated economic and industrial endurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to bolster the resilience of its economy, workforce and the environment.
Global challenges, such as the pandemic, climate change and the Russia-Ukraine war, “have made evident just how vulnerable and helpless national economies and global supply chains are in the face of sudden extreme risks,” Chen said.
To combat challenges beyond national borders, “we must all rely on working together with like-minded countries to adopt consistent and effective responses,” he said.
“Be prepared for danger in times of peace” is a motto Taiwanese live by, he added.
Despite being excluded from the UN system, Taiwan “has consistently fulfilled its responsibility as a member of the global village” by promoting the transition to net zero emissions, he said.
“Taiwan is glad to share its experience in post-pandemic national resilience-building with the global community,” and looks forward to working with international partners to promote resilience and prosperity, Chen said.
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