Distinguished Guests, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning!
Today is the 91st National Day of the Republic of China. With joyous pride, the 23 million people of Taiwan, together with their compatriots—at home and abroad—will be celebrating the glorious birthday of our country.
As we look back, we can see that it has been a year of challenges, both at home and abroad, as well as a year of opportunity. Early in the year, the instatement of a new legislature and new cabinet members marked a new chapter in domestic politics and government administration. On January 1, after 12 years of perseverance and determination, Taiwan successfully became the 144th member nation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), thus enabling Taiwan to move toward taking on a broader role in the international community. Later this month, Academia Sinica director, Dr. Yuan-Tseh Lee, will attend APEC's 10th Economic Leaders' Conference in Mexico on behalf of Ah-bian and on behalf of our country, and contribute Taiwan's voice to issues such as sustainable economic development, the digital economy, and mutual benefits of globalization.
Of course, many serious challenges still lie ahead. Regardless of whether they originate at home or abroad, we must bravely confront these problems by enacting active and effective solutions. Together, we will take on the enormous responsibility of national development, and forge our own road, for the sake of all our fellow countrymen.
With half a century of authoritarian rule having culminated in the first transfer of power in our history, we now stand at the crossroad to democracy. It has been an arduous journey, and we find ourselves not only encumbered by the vice and corruption of the past, but, in the international arena, we are further weighted down by current political and economic volatility coupled with Beijing's incessant threat and intimidation. Nevertheless, I have always believed firmly that we must be resolute—stay on this path—and, definitely, we can create a vision of hope for the future of Taiwan.
For more than two years, despite obstructions and objections, we have marched onward down "the road of reform", unflinching in our resolve, unfaltering in our commitment. Of course, we recognize that reform cannot possibly come about all at once, or without protest, but we are willing to put forth our most concerted effort to incorporate different viewpoints, from opposing political factions as well as from various sectors of society, in order to maintain a steady pace of reform. Change may not be immediately evident, and reform will inevitably affect the interest of some. But, we shall not hesitate, and our confidence will remain high, because we have faith in Taiwan society, and we have faith in the people. In time, the fruits of reform itself will garner the support of the public.
Despite twists and turns along the course of democracy, the people of Taiwan have never lost sight of the need for change. While political viewpoints may differ between parties, we believe that everyone wants the interests of our country to come first. Therefore, let us set aside our partisan prejudices, sit down in earnest cooperation, and replace pointless confrontation with rational debate, so that we can harness the power of Taiwan’s multi-party system of government and channel it into ways to better people's lives.
Looking toward a better tomorrow requires us to be vigilant today. The opportunity to create change is often transient, and every minute wasted increases the cost of reform. We will not back down from our advocacy of reform and we will not stop until we achieve our aim. Here, I wish to propose several measures for reform, goals toward which the whole country can work together:
To solidify our democracy, we will reinforce the teaching of democratic ideals and establish a civil society built upon a foundation of liberty and self-discipline, broadening the concept of human rights and advocating respect for diversity. We will reflect solemnly upon the mistakes of the past, seek historical truths, and pursue social justice. We will expeditiously enact and implement the "sunshine laws" and establish rules for fair competition in the political arena. We will aim to fully carry out judicial reform and renew people's confidence in government.
With regard to economic development, we must ensure the sound cultivation of both high-tech and traditional industries in order to establish a diversified and balanced infrastructure that facilitates industry in Taiwan. More importantly, we must vigorously work to improve the investment climate here, in order to make our strategic goal of "investing in Taiwan first" more viable. At the same time, we need to accelerate financial reforms by intensifying our efforts at the grass-roots level, by strengthening the overall integrity of financial institutions, and by applying appropriate measures for supervising financial markets. We must also expedite the implementation of our government restructuring initiatives; streamlining government agencies and augmenting the functions of the Legislative Yuan will serve to greatly increase administrative efficiency and boost our nation's overall competitiveness.
With regard to national security, the enactment of the National Defense Law and the Organization Law of the Ministry of National Defense puts the military firmly under national—not party—control, based on the principle of a unified system of military administration and command. In the future, we should continue efforts to streamline the organization of our military by reducing levels of command and reasonably adjusting the size of our military in order to make our armed forces more modernized, more specialized and more efficient. In light of the events of September 11, our government needs to reassess our national security system and our foreign policy strategies; in doing so, we can strengthen our homeland security capabilities as well as more actively contribute to the global campaign against terrorism.
With regard to cross-strait relations, the government will continue to advocate "goodwill, active cooperation and permanent peace" and promote the normalization of cross-strait relations. However, in the face of the PRC's ever-increasing threats and intimidation, and its aggressive campaign to suffocate Taiwan on all international fronts, we harbor no illusions. We do know that Taiwan's sovereignty is inalienable and cannot be infringed upon. The will of the Taiwanese people to pursue freedom, democracy and peace can never be compromised.
On behalf of all citizens of The Republic of China (Taiwan), I solemnly call upon the leaders of The People's Republic of China (PRC) to immediately remove the 400 missiles that are deployed along the Taiwan Strait, and to openly renounce the use of force against Taiwan. For, only by engaging in rational discussions and allowing the "doors of dialogue" to be reopened can the antagonistic deadlock in cross-strait relations be resolved.
Distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen: The road to reform will inevitably be rough, and the work strenuous. Nevertheless, this historic mission has been bestowed upon us and the people have placed their trust in us. No matter how harsh the external conditions may be, no matter how daunting the future may seem, we must stand up to these challenges. Furthermore, we must take on these responsibilities with utmost confidence, knowing that, if we work together as one, we can build a solid foundation for our nation's future and ensure lasting prosperity for the 23 million people of Taiwan and for generations to come.
In conclusion, I would like to say Happy Birthday to the Republic of China and wish each one of you good health and continued success.
Thank you!