As we all know, dogs are man's best and most loyal friends. Such devotion and loyalty also characterize Taiwan's unfailing allegiance to the global "community of democracies" and "cohort of peacemakers."
I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Golden Year of the Dog. May you find much bliss and success in the New Year and may the countries you represent enjoy boundless prosperity. It is also my earnest hope that all mankind shares this world in peace, democracy, progress and prosperity.
In regard to cross-Strait situation, which is perhaps the most important issue on the minds of many of you, Year 2006 is indeed the most decisive year, as well as a critical juncture for the international community to circumspectly rethink all aspects of cross-Strait relations.
Since 2000, the Taiwan government under my leadership has again and again extended more than 40 olive branches of peace to China on the other side of the Strait. We do so by taking concrete actions and putting forth policies based on the core belief we have long held--that "goodwill reconciliation, proactive cooperation and permanent peace" should be our foremost pursuit. And we do so also in the hope of opening the window of opportunity for cross-Strait dialogue and reconciliation.
I fully understand that establishing a "peace and stability framework for cross-Strait interactions" satisfies the collective expectations that the United States, Japan and members of the international community have for permanent peace in the Taiwan Strait and for the maintenance of cross-Strait status quo. It also fulfills the faithful pledge that I, as Taiwan's popularly elected leader of the nation, have made to the 23 million people of Taiwan.
Regrettably, however, over the past six years, Chinese leaders have never responded with goodwill to our call for the resumption of dialogue; they have instead many a time slammed shut the window of opportunity to cross-Strait peace and reconciliation. Furthermore, China continues to aggravate Taiwan people's sentiments by employing tactics such as military intimidation, political subversion, and attempting to bring about unification by coercing the business community to comply with their agenda.
The rise of China's economy has captured the gaze and attention of the world community; however, whether or not China could achieve a "peaceful rise" and "the beginning of democracy" should be important issues taken up and looked squarely at by members of the global "community of democracies" and "cohort of peacemakers."
It is already a publicly known secrete that China has both the intent and the capability to use force against Taiwan; it has even made preparations to materialize such intent. A year ago, when the Chinese National People's Congress passed the so-called "Anti-Separation Law," authorizing People's Liberation Army (PLA) to use "non-peaceful" means to resolve issues in the Taiwan Strait, it has essentially provided the so-called "legal basis" for the use of force against Taiwan, which clearly constituted an action taken to undermine the peaceful status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
China's deployment of ballistic missiles targeting Taiwan along its southeast coast has increased from 706 to the current 784 in less than a year. Moreover, it has assembled the three-stage preparation for war against Taiwan, setting the following goals as its interim objectives: establish contingency-response combat capabilities by 2007; build up combat capabilities for large-scale military engagement by 2010; and ensure victory in a decisive battle by 2015.
The Quadrennial Defense Review Report recently published by the US Department of Defense also explicitly pointed out: "Of the major and emerging powers, China has the greatest potential to compete militarily with the United States…Chinese military modernization has accelerated since the mid-to-late 1990s to develop military options against Taiwan scenarios. The pace and scope of China's military build-up already puts regional military balances at risk." Cross-Strait military balance now increasingly tipping in favor of China is a reality that has invoked grave concerns from the United States, Japan and other Asia-Pacific countries.
Distinguished guests: we are not trying to make a case without a cause, nor do we need to sensationalize the grave situation already confronting Taiwan. The message that my administration wishes to convey is this: the international community's over-tolerance and overlooking of China's military build-up and war preparations against Taiwan to gradually push the cross-Strait situation to the brink of war short of a formal declaration of, and disregard of Taiwan people's outcry--that we love democracy and we want peace--have all resulted in the misjudgments for the serious imbalances now exist in cross-Strait political and military relations. Consequently, democracy in Taiwan, as well as Asia-Pacific "community of democracies," the United States, and Japan's security interests in West Pacific are now imperiled.
As the President of Taiwan elected by our people through ballots of democracy, I cannot sit idly and allow the imbalanced situation to continue to deteriorate. China's schemes to force unification--with military aggression and exploitation of Taiwan's political situation, and by coercing the business community to comply with its unification agenda—as well as its efforts to undermine Taiwan's internal unity by ingratiating itself with opposition groups should not be permitted to succeed. For, the core value of democracy upholds Taiwan people's right to decide their own future, and we should not allow such democratic value to be written off or be obscured, nor should we permit the ultimate decision on Taiwan's future be made unilaterally by any individual or political party without the consent of the Taiwan people through democratic processes.
Such mindset is built upon the necessity to preserve Taiwan's democracy and safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait, and it is also based on the universal value of the right to self-determination. I firmly believe that it conforms to the mainstream ideology embraced by the international community that all of us must take part in spreading the seeds of democracy, strengthening peace, and ensuring freedom. It is my earnest hope that the voice of Taiwan's democracy would galvanize the support of international justice in the global community.
On behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, let me take this opportunity to express my profound appreciation for the assistance countries you represent have given to Taiwan in international organizations over the past year. I am pleased to know that Taiwan now engages various countries in broad-scope economic and trade cooperation and takes up an even more active role in humanitarian assistance and in the areas of technological, educational, and cultural exchanges.
Taiwan is a small country, but we are a people with great aspirations and an even greater will to succeed. Taiwan will always stand on the side of democracy, freedom, peace and prosperity; and we have the utmost sincerity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with the international community to resist authoritarianism, to restrain the use of force, to promote peace, and to pursue prosperity.
In closing, let me once again thank the diplomatic corps for your efforts and contribution in promoting the cordial relations between Taiwan and the countries you represent. I want to also extend my best wishes to all distinguished guests, respected associates, friends and colleagues, for good health and success. Let us raise our glass to wish one another the best of all things in the Year of the Dog! Cheers!