Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the afternoon of August 8, President Lai Ching-te presided over the first meeting of the National Climate Change Committee. As the committee’s convener, the president presented committee members with their letters of appointment, and explained that, in line with the principle of equity, the committee has drawn its members from a diverse range of disciplines, generations, and perspectives. This demonstrates the government’s determination, he said, to forge a social consensus through diversified dialogue, and to unite the public in addressing the major challenges to future global and domestic development. President Lai emphasized that energy issues are complex and not simply a black-and-white matter of being for or against nuclear energy. Every strategic national policy decision, he said, is bound to present multiple-choice questions complicated by the fact that more than one right answer may be possible. The president stated that he aims to address issues honestly, propose solutions pragmatically, and resolve problems practically through the committee’s discussions, with the goal of formulating strategies for the nation’s sustainable development so that Taiwan society can forge a consensus and the nation can indeed develop sustainably. A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows: Today is Father’s Day, so first I want to wish fathers around the world a happy Father’s Day. I also want to thank everyone for taking the time to participate in today’s meeting, especially on this holiday. There are many fathers here today, and Committee Member Huang Pin-han (黃品涵), who recently gave birth and is still in postpartum care, insisted on attending. Let’s give her a warm round of applause. I also want to thank all our friends watching the live broadcast, who are joining us in showing their concern for the nation’s future and development. To respond to the impacts of global climate change, global infectious diseases, and the challenges posed by shifting global geopolitics, I announced the establishment of three committees at the Presidential Office one month after my inauguration: the National Climate Change Committee, Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, and Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. I hope these three committees will fulfill three major functions of serving as platforms for social engagement, bridges for communication within society, and engines for policy effectiveness. This demonstrates the government’s determination to forge a social consensus through diversified dialogue and unite the public to address the major challenges of future global and domestic development. In line with the principle of equity, the members of these three committees are drawn from a diverse range of disciplines, generations, and perspectives. For example, the National Climate Change Committee includes eight cabinet ministers and commission heads, with Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) serving as the executive secretary. National climate governance, however, involves broad and profound issues, requiring the public and private sectors to join forces and work together. As a result, 65 percent of this committee’s members are not government officials. In addition, 28.5 percent of members are women. There are six representatives from the industrial sector, and we want to express our gratitude to enterprise representatives Paul Peng (彭双浪), Lai Po-szu (賴博司), Terry Tsao (曹世綸), Sophia Cheng (程淑芬), Lydia Hsiao-mei Lin (林筱玫), and Taipower Company Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) for their participation. Their involvement will extend Taiwan’s strategic thinking about climate and energy across traditional sectors, fields, and high-tech industries, account for the needs of emerging industries of the new era such as AI and international green finance, and ensure that we look ahead to the future and align with international trends. The number of our representatives from the civil society sector is equal to that of the industrial sector, with six pioneers of environmental movements representing multiple generations invited to participate: Shih Shin-min (施信民), Lee Ken-cheng (李根政), Chao Chia-wei (趙家緯), Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳), Huang Pin-han (黃品涵), and Chen Hui-ping (陳惠萍). They all represent efforts at the frontlines of environmental movements. We are deeply grateful for your participation and look forward to jointly expanding dialogue with civil society, working together to achieve greater depth and breadth in systemic change. Of course, we also invited scholars and experts from various disciplines to join. We are very grateful to Lin Tze-luen (林子倫), Chou Kuei-tien (周桂田), Tseng Chung-jen (曾重仁), and Su Huey-jen (蘇慧貞) for their participation. Their respective backgrounds in the humanities, science and engineering, environmental health, medicine, and public health will help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of climate change issues. The committee is meeting for the first time today, and we are beginning by discussing issues that are the focus of particular concern to our society. First, we will hear a report from the Ministry of Environment assessing the impacts of climate change on both the globe and Taiwan. Following that, Chairman Tseng will deliver a report on the transition and challenges related to power supply and demand in Taiwan. Due to the impacts of extreme weather, more and more experts are warning that each summer from now on is likely to be “one of the coolest summers of the rest of our lives.” Increasingly, what were once considered “once-in-a-century” droughts and storms are occurring in rapid succession. Over the past eight years under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, the government had to establish two emergency response centers at least 19 times, either in close succession or simultaneously – one to address drought and the other to manage flooding. Late last month, Typhoon Gaemi brought disastrous rainfall in Chiayi and three other counties and municipalities south of it. Single-day precipitation levels in both the lowlands and mountainous areas were comparable to those brought by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, and in some areas even exceeded Morakot. Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that nationwide losses from damage to agricultural property and private facilities are already in the billions of New Taiwan Dollars. Extreme precipitation caused by global extreme weather, as well as heat waves and other such disasters pose formidable challenges to all countries. A sudden natural disaster is like an acute cold, while climate change is more like a chronic disease. But no matter which type of problem we’re facing, we all have a responsibility to continue strengthening Taiwan’s ability to adapt to the risks associated with extreme weather, and to continually make our nation more sustainable and more resilient. Of course, I realize that the stability of Taiwan’s power supply is a matter of concern not only to us in Taiwan. It’s also important to international supply chains. There has recently been widespread discussion regarding the issue of nuclear power. Twenty-plus years ago, back when I was a member of the Legislative Yuan, working across party lines I co-sponsored a draft version of the Basic Environment Act. The Act has come to be known as Taiwan’s “environmental constitution,” and it is the first law in Taiwan to incorporate the concept of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Article 23 of the Act reads that the government shall formulate a plan to progressively achieve the goal of a nuclear-free homeland. Although the DPP was the ruling party at that time within the executive branch, we did not have a legislative majority. The fact that we were able to get the Basic Environment Act passed by reaching a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties is proof that the concept of a nuclear-free homeland is not just an ideological stance of the DPP. Sustainable development is a goal that we all agree upon, regardless of party affiliation, and one that we’re all working together to achieve. I hope that through this committee, everyone can realize that energy issues are complex and not simply a black-and-white matter of being for or against nuclear energy. Every strategic national policy decision is bound to present multiple-choice questions complicated by the fact that more than one right answer may be possible. That’s the only way we can address issues honestly, propose solutions pragmatically, and resolve problems practically. Therefore, I want to say to every one of you, that to have differing positions is typical in a democracy. Having diverse opinions is, in fact, the best thing about democracy. I hope that the committee’s discussions will impress upon the 23 million people of Taiwan that we can all have our different viewpoints, but we only have one Taiwan. We can all have our different stances, but we still have one goal that we all agree upon, and that is our nation’s sustainable development. Our shared mission is to think flexibly and brainstorm among a broad range of people, with the goal of formulating strategies for the nation’s sustainable development so that Taiwan society can forge a consensus. Once again, I want to thank everyone for your willingness to take on such an important task. I’ll soon ask each of you to actively share your thoughts, professional expertise, and experience with us, to help us resolve problems and to help Taiwan keep moving forward. Thank you. Following his statement, President Lai presented letters of appointment to the committee members, heard a report assessing the impacts of climate change on both the globe and Taiwan presented by Minister Peng, and a report on the transition and challenges related to power supply and demand in Taiwan presented by Chairman Tseng. Afterward, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the two reports and the Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Office of the President National Climate Change Committee.

On the morning of July 18, President Lai Ching-te met with international and Taiwanese members of the organizing committee for the 2024 Junior Chamber International (JCI) World Congress. In remarks, President Lai said that Taiwan will host this year’s JCI World Congress, adding that young leaders from many nations will focus on such issues as entrepreneurship and innovation, green economy, and carbon emissions reduction under the event’s theme, “Technological Innovation for a Prosperous and Sustainable Future.” The president thanked JCI for supporting Taiwan and expressed his hope for Taiwan to harness the power for change through this event, as we work together to make the world a better place. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: In October, Taiwan will host the 2024 JCI World Congress. Over the past several years, I have enjoyed many interactions with partners from JCI, and I am delighted to be able to welcome you all to the Presidential Office today. I wish the congress great success and thank all of our JCI partners for their contributions. Over the years, JCI Taiwan has been actively involved in public affairs. Its Ten Outstanding Young Persons award encourages young people to contribute even more to society. It was an honor for me to serve as chairman of the panel of judges for the awards and to work with JCI in promoting this meaningful event.  As one of the world’s four major international service organizations, JCI continues to marshal the forces of its 350,000-strong global membership and community resources to promote global development. The 2024 JCI World Congress in October will bring together more than 6,000 people from 120 countries. The event will see young leaders from these nations focus on such issues as entrepreneurship and innovation, green economy, and carbon emissions reduction under its theme, “Technological Innovation for a Prosperous and Sustainable Future.” I understand that JCI President Kaveen Kumar Kumaravel’s vision for his fellow members is “Let’s make a difference!” We are delighted to welcome the president and thank him for helping facilitate Taiwan’s hosting of this year’s world congress, so that we can harness the power for change as we work together to make the world a better place. In closing, I want to extend my special thanks to JCI Chung-Li for winning the bid for Taiwan’s right to host the world congress. And I thank all of our guests once again for supporting Taiwan. I wish you a successful visit and the very best for the JCI World Congress. Also in attendance at the meeting was JCI Secretary General Kevin Hin.

On the morning of June 3, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by International Peace Foundation (IPF) Founder and Chairman Uwe Morawetz. In remarks, President Lai thanked the IPF for coming to Taiwan to promote the Taiwan BRIDGES event series with National Taiwan University (NTU), and advance educational exchanges and global peace together. The president said he is confident the program will not only benefit Taiwan’s scholars, but also deepen our international connections and enhance our global reach. He also expressed hope that Chairman Morawetz will gain an even deeper understanding of Taiwan through this visit, and said he looks forward to seeing even more international exchanges and cooperation in the future. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome Chairman Morawetz back to Taiwan. Chairman Morawetz is visiting to promote the Taiwan BRIDGES event series with NTU President Chen Wen-chang (陳文章). Last month, in my inaugural address, I stated that Taiwan would be a pilot for global peace. Today, I am pleased to meet and exchange ideas with Chairman Morawetz and all our distinguished guests. The IPF believes that education serves as the foundation of peace. It has worked with universities to establish advanced courses and research that can assist governments, the European Union, and the United Nations in opening up peace dialogue. The IPF has also organized the event series BRIDGES – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace, holding over 800 events across Southeast Asia since 2003. By bringing together Nobel laureates and renowned artists, the series has achieved remarkable results in fostering academic cooperation and cultural exchange. I want to thank the IPF for choosing to come to Taiwan so that we can advance educational exchanges and global peace together. The Taiwan BRIDGES event series is expected to begin next year, and six Nobel laureates in physics, medicine, chemistry, and economics will be invited to visit Taiwan. I am confident this program will not only benefit Taiwan’s scholars, but also deepen our international connections and enhance our global reach. Taiwan, with its geopolitically strategic location, is an important democracy in the Indo-Pacific region. On this occasion, I want to express my special thanks to President Chen for his efforts in nurturing talent for the nation. For instance, last month, NTU inaugurated the International School of Politics and Economics with the aim to cultivate leaders in Taiwan with a global political and economic vision. Additionally, LITEON Technology Founder and LITEON Group Chairman Raymond Soong (宋恭源) made a donation to NTU in August last year to establish an interdisciplinary top research exchange platform, which has facilitated collaboration between President Chen and Chairman Morawetz. I am grateful for Chairman Soong’s contributions. I am also pleased to welcome Tzu Chi Charity Foundation CEO Yen Po-wen (顏博文) and Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps Senior Volunteer Doctor Lin Shih-han (林士涵) to the Presidential Office today. We have all witnessed over many years that whenever a disaster strikes Taiwan, Tzu Chi volunteers quickly provide relief, supporting those affected. After the April 3 earthquake this year, Tzu Chi set up response centers and shelters to assist the victims. The Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps has long provided medical and material assistance in remote and underserved areas. To date, it has set up free clinics in 50 countries and regions on more than 400 occasions. Such work is very admirable. The public welfare organizations represented by these two distinguished guests exemplify the goodwill of Taiwan and align with the ideals of the IPF. I look forward to seeing even more international exchanges and cooperation in the future. In closing, I hope that Chairman Morawetz will gain an even deeper understanding of Taiwan through this visit. I also wish the IPF and NTU great success in their collaboration. Chairman Morawetz then delivered remarks, saying that in October last year, he visited Taiwan and met with Professor Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), a Nobel laureate who has participated in BRIDGES events in Thailand and suggested having BRIDGES in Taiwan in the future. Through Professor Lee, the chairman said, they were introduced to NTU, who will be the main partner in the BRIDGES event series in Taiwan. Chairman Morawetz said that the BRIDGES event series will run from November 2025 until April 2026, and that they will have many Nobel laureates visiting Taiwan. The aim, he said, is to promote Taiwan as an international hub for science, technology, sustainability, and innovation. The chairman also said they would like to further elevate Taiwan on the international map with a forward-looking program on education. With the participation of the science Nobel laureates, the brightest minds of the world, he said, BRIDGES wants to highlight Taiwan’s important role for peacebuilding, international cooperation, and global security.  As the program is called BRIDGES, the chairman went on, they want to build long-term bridges between the Nobel laureates and Taiwan. He said that although the laureates will come to Taiwan for the first time, they can develop long-term relationships with institutions and universities, come to Taiwan more often, invite Taiwanese students to work in their labs abroad, or start research programs with universities. He said the program should be a long-term and sustainable success for Taiwan, and not just an event series.  Chairman Morawetz indicated that six Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics have already been confirmed to be hosted by NTU. He said he will also be going to Tainan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and other places because BRIDGES would like to include universities in other parts of Taiwan, involving the whole country in the program. It should be of benefit not only for the capital, he added, but for the whole country. Chairman Morawetz stated that now there is still more than one year to prepare for the program, and BRIDGES wants to be as inclusive as possible to benefit as many institutions and organizations as possible. He said they want to build long-term relationships with as many foundations and charitable organizations as possible, so that not only one organization, but the whole country, benefits from the events.  

On the afternoon of July 8, President Tsai Ing-wen attended a ceremony marking the end of the Taiwan-based study for exchange students enrolled in Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University (UPTP). In remarks at the event, President Tsai called UPTP a cornerstone of bilateral educational cooperation spurring broader exchanges between our two countries, which share the goal of making it the best polytechnic university in Latin America. The president expressed hope that, as Taiwan looks to expand its cooperation with Paraguay, UPTP students can use their knowledge and experience to act as a bridge between our two countries and help us all work toward a better tomorrow. A transcript of the president's remarks is provided below: I would first like to congratulate all the students on completing your study in Taiwan. I also want to thank all the faculty members for your hard work and dedication. I am so delighted to have Ambassador Fleitas here with us today to mark this important milestone in Taiwan-Paraguay cooperation. When I visited Paraguay in 2018, I had the privilege of attending the opening ceremony for the pre-university courses at UPTP. Some of those who took these courses back then are soon to graduate in about six months' time. I am glad to see you again in Taiwan. And I want to thank National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST, Taiwan Tech) and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs for helping facilitate the UPTP program. I know the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for many of you to come to Taiwan to study. But I hope that you enjoyed your three semesters of study at Taiwan Tech, having had a chance to get to know Taiwan while sharing your culture with your fellow students here. With your contributions, I am sure the internationally diverse campus of Taiwan Tech has become a culturally much richer place. As a cornerstone of Taiwan-Paraguay educational cooperation, UPTP is spurring broader exchanges between our two countries. Our shared goal for UPTP is to make it the best polytechnic university in Latin America, and I am truly grateful to the staff of Taiwan Tech for all you have done toward this goal. Over the past five years, many scholars and administrators have worked to turn UPTP into a model for Taiwan's international education cooperation projects, sharing our knowledge and expertise in science and technology with friends around the world. Education has been at the root of Taiwan's national development. By cultivating outstanding talent in science and technology, Taiwan and Paraguay are sowing the seeds of future growth, prosperity, and friendship. And there is nothing more satisfying than seeing young talent like you thrive. In just six months, you will graduate and embark on an exciting new chapter of your careers. I am confident that your education at UPTP will empower you to contribute to the development of Paraguay and the welfare of your fellow people. As we in Taiwan look to expand our cooperation with Paraguay, I am hopeful that you, as future UPTP graduates, can play a key part in this effort. With your knowledge and experience, you can act as a bridge to help us all work toward a better tomorrow. Going forward, Taiwan will continue to strengthen collaboration with all our democratic partners. We look forward to working together with all of you in the months and years to come.

On the morning of December 9, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a senior delegation of representatives from the industry association SEMI and the renewable energy sector. During the meeting, President Tsai stated that the government will continue working to achieve its goal of 20 gigawatts of installed solar capacity by 2025, and will release additional offshore wind power capacity for development each year in order to build a more flexible and resilient power grid. The president also asked the business community for its support in these government efforts, so that we can lay a solid foundation for Taiwan's future global competitiveness. A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows: It was just yesterday that we met at the Energy Taiwan expo. And it is a pleasure to welcome you all to the Presidential Office today for a more in-depth exchange of views and to hear your valued opinions. First of all, I want to thank SEMI for its longstanding focus on the development of Taiwan's semiconductor sector. Its annual SEMICON Taiwan exhibition is a major event for the global semiconductor industry, as well as an important platform for our homegrown firms to connect with their international counterparts. Let me take this opportunity to wish SEMI all success with the upcoming SEMICON Taiwan exhibition, which will be held at the end of the month. This year, the value of Taiwan's semiconductor industry is expected to exceed NT$4 trillion, breaking previous records. One important task we have in maintaining our nation's global leadership in this sector is the development of green energy, so we can address the demand for green energy from semiconductor firms. Since 2016, cooperation between our government and all of you, as industry leaders, has yielded notable progress in Taiwan's solar and wind power sectors. And last year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs established a platform for trading green energy, speeding up efforts to coordinate green energy demand and supply in the private sector. Going forward, as we pursue our goal of 20 gigawatts of installed solar capacity by 2025, I will be closely following the MOEA's evaluation of additional areas for potential solar power project development. In addition, we have already announced details of the bidding process and localization requirements for the third phase of our offshore wind power development plan, as part of which 1.5 gigawatts of capacity will be up for bidding each year from 2026 to 2031. Moreover, to facilitate the integration of renewable energy into Taiwan's power supply grid, Taipower has set a goal of installing more than 1,000 megawatts of energy storage capacity by 2025, through a combination of direct construction as well as private tenders. Our administration will continue to work to ensure the stability of our power grid by developing more flexible and resilient systems. Energy transition is a key policy priority for our government, and we have a clear roadmap for how to overcome the challenges ahead of us and meet our goals. Your cooperation and support for our government's efforts are important to us. Together, we can help lay a firm foundation for Taiwan's future competitiveness. Among the members of the visiting delegation were SEMI Global Chief Marketing Officer and SEMI Taiwan President Terry Tsao (曹世綸), SEMI PV Committee Chairman Andy Shen (沈維鈞), SEMI Wind Energy Committee Vice Chairman Julian Kuo (郭世榮), SEMI Energy Storage Committee Chairman Paul Ai (艾祖華); United Renewable Energy Co. (URE) Chairman Sam Hong (洪傳獻); TSEC Corp. Chairman Liao Kuo-jung (廖國榮); ASE Technology Holding Co. Corporate Administration Officer Dtuang Wang (汪渡村); Yuen Foong Yu Group Chairman Hui-Jean Liu (劉慧瑾); Copenhagen Infrastructure Wind Power Development Taiwan Co. Managing Director Marina Hsu (許乃文); Ørsted Asia Pacific President Matthias Bausenwein; Siemens Gamesa Offshore Asia-Pacific General Manager Niels Steenberg; AUO Optronics Corp. Vice President of Energy Business T.Y. Lin (林恬宇); and Enel X Taiwan Co. General Manager Chen Wei-ting (陳威廷).

In a recent interview via videoconference with The New York Times for its DealBook Summit, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Andrew Ross Sorkin on topics including Taiwan’s national defense, cross-strait relations, Taiwan-US relations, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the semiconductor industry. The interview was broadcast in the early morning of December 4. The DealBook Summit is a major annual event held by The New York Times aimed at facilitating dialogue among leaders from various sectors and sharing their insights and analyses on international affairs. This year’s summit was held on December 3 (US EST) in New York, and included such speakers as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, and Turning Point USA CEO and Chair of the Board Erika Kirk. The following is the full text of the interview: Q: Here’s where I want to start the conversation. You’ve just announced this past week that you’re introducing a US$40 billion special budget for military spending to buy more weapons from the US to try to deter China from invading Taiwan. What indicators, and perhaps new indicators, are you looking at that shows an increased threat to Taiwan? President Lai: We can see that China’s military drills targeted at Taiwan are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. They have even moved beyond the first island chain into the second, affecting the wider Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, China’s united front influence campaigns against Taiwan are also becoming more serious. In order to safeguard national security and fulfill our responsibility to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, we have announced this special defense budget. We believe that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. While we aspire to peace, we cannot harbor illusions about it. Peace must be secured through strength. This is why we are increasing our defense budget and strengthening our national defense capabilities, while also cutting back our economic dependence on China. This includes improving our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China; last year, that figure had dropped to around 7 percent. We are also working side-by-side with other democracies to reinforce deterrence. Robust preparations are the best way to avoid war and achieve peace. Q: Let me ask you this: President Xi has said that his goal for China’s military is to be capable of taking Taiwan by force by 2027. You said that Beijing is accelerating these preparations for an attempted invasion. So what do you think China’s timeline is now? President Lai: We must ensure the best possible preparations for the worst-case scenarios. Whatever timeline the PLA may have, Taiwan’s fundamental principle is that we must be ready first – this is our basic principle. I also want to use this opportunity to reiterate to the international community that Taiwan will do everything necessary to protect itself and to safeguard regional peace and stability. We are grateful to the international community, including the G7, the president of the United States, Japan’s political leaders, and many others for their interest in cross-strait peace and emphasizing that stability in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global security and prosperity. Their shared position greatly contributes to stability in Taiwan and peace in the region. We hope Taiwan can continue working with the international community to uphold the rules-based international order. Q: Well, let me ask you about that because, Mr. President, last week you said the relationship between Taiwan and the US is rock-solid. How confident are you that the United States, and in particular President Trump, would come to the aid of Taiwan if China were to invade? President Lai: Although Taiwan and the United States do not have official diplomatic relations, Taiwan is deeply grateful to the US Congress for passing the Taiwan Relations Act and to President Ronald Reagan for the Six Assurances. For decades, successive US administrations and both parties in Congress have strongly supported Taiwan based on this foundation. Our relationship truly is rock-solid. Since President Trump took office, cooperation with Taiwan has not only continued but even expanded. We look forward to working with the United States through tariff negotiations – not only to help address their trade deficit, but also to deepen bilateral economic relations and strengthen our friendship. Q: We’ve all been watching what’s been happening play out in Ukraine between Ukraine and Russia. And there have been questions inside Ukraine about the support that the United States has provided or not in terms of how this ultimately gets settled. How do you view what’s happening in Ukraine right now and the role that the US is playing there? President Lai: Taiwan stands with the people of Ukraine. We hope this irrational and illegitimate war will be over as soon as possible so that the Ukrainian people will no longer have to suffer. However, in ending this war, we also hope that Ukraine’s national dignity and the well-being of its people will be respected, and future conflict will be prevented. Q: You talked about trade earlier. When you talk about the relationship between the US and Taiwan, one of the reasons that Taiwan is so valuable, such a strategic asset – and President Trump talks about it this way about Taiwan – is because of semiconductors. And one of the things that he says is that he hopes that the US is going to be manufacturing 40 to 50 percent of all semiconductors in the next couple of years with your help. Does that make Taiwan more valuable ultimately to the US or do you worry at all that it makes it less valuable to the US? President Lai: Taiwan’s semiconductor industry plays a crucial role, especially as we enter the future AI era. But I want to emphasize, with humility, that Taiwan’s semiconductor sector is a global asset. The industry functions as an ecosystem: the US excels in R&D, design, and has the world’s largest market; Japan provides materials and equipment; the Netherlands makes advanced lithography systems; Taiwan specializes in logic chip manufacturing; and Korea leads in flash memory chips. In other words, semiconductors are a global ecosystem – it requires worldwide cooperation to be effective. This is why our government supports TSMC and other Taiwanese semiconductor firms as they invest in the US, Japan, Europe, or wherever they believe is needed. This contributes to global progress and prosperity. As a result, we remain supportive as President Trump seeks investments from Taiwanese semiconductor companies and suppliers in the US. We hope Taiwan can support the reindustrialization of the US. President Trump wants the US to become the world center for AI, and we are willing to assist in this. As I said earlier, we hope Taiwan-US tariff negotiations will not only help reduce the US trade deficit, but also deepen bilateral economic cooperation, further integrate Taiwan’s industries with the American economic structure, and strengthen the Taiwan-US relationship. This will contribute to global prosperity and development. Q: Do you think that President Trump’s timeline, this idea that 40 to 50 percent of all semiconductors could be manufactured in the United States in the next two or three years, is realistic? President Lai: We understand President Trump’s sense of urgency; he wants the United States to maintain an edge in global competition. Whether this target of 40 to 50 percent can be achieved within this timeframe depends not only on Taiwan’s support but also on the US government’s ability to facilitate land acquisition, water and electricity supply, workforce and talent development, and investment incentives. If the US government manages to do this well and effectively, then this goal becomes much more achievable. Q: There’s a big debate in the United States right now about whether companies like Nvidia should be allowed to sell their most advanced chips to China. And there has not been a real answer yet here in the US. I’m curious what you think about that. Do you think that the most advanced chips should be allowed to be exported to China? President Lai: As Taiwan’s president, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on US domestic policy. But I can share an experience: Around the year 2000, Taiwan faced a similar debate about whether our advanced chip manufacturing capabilities should move to mainland China. There was an extensive and thorough discussion across society and among different political parties. The consensus was that it would be unwise and should not happen. Looking back, that decision was correct. Had Taiwan allowed its most advanced manufacturing to relocate to China, Taiwan would not be what it is today. Q: Final question for you. Your economy is red hot right now, in large part because of the AI boom. It’s a two-part question. I wonder whether you’re worried about an AI boom being an AI bubble. And I’m also curious how you think about the Chinese economy today and how that relates to how President Xi even views Taiwan, and when and if it would consider either invading or, through using the gray zone, trying to effectively cut off or control Taiwan. President Lai: There are many different views in the tech and economic communities. Some say AI could become a bubble; others say it may not. As a political leader, I believe the AI era will bring greater convenience to people’s lives, stimulate economic development, and contribute to global prosperity. That is why we must take steps to prevent AI from becoming a bubble. In other words, leaders around the world – especially those from countries with AI-related industries – should work together and take necessary measures to ensure AI develops sustainably and has a soft landing, so that it can drive long-term global growth. China’s economy is indeed struggling. Taiwan’s growth rate this year is projected to reach 7.37 percent, while international financial institutions estimate China’s growth to be only a little above 4 percent. We sincerely hope that as China faces economic pressures, President Xi Jinping will focus not on territorial expansion but on improving the well-being of the Chinese people. Taiwan is willing to help and to cooperate in addressing these economic challenges.