Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Vice President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday appealed to voters to give him “a chance to lead Taiwan forward” and introduced his “four major paths” plan for the nation.
“We are in the new year, facing fresh challenges, as global supply chains are being reorganized and the world is confronting great climate change challenges,” Lai said. “Through our collective endeavors, the world has elevated Taiwan to an important position, and everyone now sees that Taiwan belongs to the world.”
“Let us not go backward. Vote for the right people,” he said. “Please give me this chance to lead our nation forward, to challenge ourselves to grow further, to transform our nation and adapt to major changes in the world.”
Photo: CNA
Lai’s four major paths are democracy and freedom, enhanced international trade to ensure economic growth, expanded investment in people and society, and energy transition.
“The first path is to proceed on the road of democracy to safeguard freedom and the democratic system, under the four pillars of preserving peace,” he said.
The four pillars are: bolstering national defense; boosting multilateral trade ties; forging closer links with countries, so that they recognize Taiwan’s freedom and human rights based on its democratic governance; and promoting interactions with China, but only by upholding the principles of mutual respect and equality, he said.
Taiwan’s “path to economic prosperity” would not follow the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) route of overreliance on China, nor would the DPP restart the cross-strait services and trade agreement, “as these run contrary to current global trends,” Lai said.
He pledged to spend on basic infrastructure, and on the artificial intelligence, semiconductor, indigenous military arms, video recording and surveillance, and digital telecommunications sectors.
Taiwan would endeavor to fill essential roles in new global supply chains, to ensure economic growth, he added.
The third path would be boosting investment in people and society, which would include welfare and healthcare programs for social justice, Lai said.
He listed new projects such as investing in the next generation from birth to the age of 22 and a “long-term care plan 3.0,” as well as policies to ensure housing justice, expand the nation’s social safety net and support low-income families financially.
For the fourth path, Lai pledged to implement programs that would drive the government’s net zero emissions strategy, and improve the resilience of Taiwan’s electricity grid.
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