Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges.
“Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank.
Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
The nation’s own efforts in strengthening itself are also of great importance, Hsiao said.
“We must have the confidence that Taiwan is worthy of galvanizing international support,” she said.
Taiwan has demonstrated its economic, social, democratic and defense resilience in the face of natural disasters, limited natural resources, the martial law era, diplomatic isolation, cyberattacks, disinformation, political interference and near-daily military incursions, she said.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
“Against all these odds and long overshadowed by our larger neighbors, Taiwan’s remarkable story of perseverance and determination has propelled it onto the world stage,” she said.
Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, regularly held free and fair elections, and an open society that has become home to a growing number of international non-governmental organizations, think tanks and media organizations, Hsiao said.
The progress the nation made in universal healthcare accessibility, gender equality and LGBTQ rights are also inspiring neighboring nations, she added.
Through humanitarian assistance and charity programs, “Taiwan has managed to lead in our soft power as a force for good extending the influence of kindness and humanity across the region,” she said.
On the economic front, Taiwan boasts high-tech innovation and a thriving ecosystem largely driven by small and medium-sized enterprises, she said.
Hsiao said she and president-elect William Lai (賴清德) “are committed to leveraging these assets as we work to forge stronger partnerships with like-minded societies around the world.”
At the same forum, former Virginia governor James Gilmore expressed the US’ determination to cooperate with allies around the world in its leadership.
“America is stronger, our country is stronger ... when we work with other people,” Gilmore said.
The US has a stake in the Asia-Pacific region and has to consider the impacts of its actions on other nations, including Taiwan, said Gilmore, who was also former US president Donald Trump’s ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
“Taiwan is our friend, and we have a stake in the success and strength and friendship of Taiwan,” he said.
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
RSS