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2017-01-13
President Tsai attends session of the Congress of Guatemala

At about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 12 local time (12:30 a.m. on January 13 Taipei time), President Tsai Ing-wen went to the Congress of Guatemala to visit Guatemala Congressional President Mario Taracena Diaz-Sol and deliver an address in solemn session of the Congress.

After arriving, President Tsai first inspected transmission and filming equipment donated by the Taiwan government to Canal del Congreso, Guatemala's newly established congressional television channel, then proceeded to the television station's main control room to see the donated equipment in operation.

Prior to delivering her speech before Congress, President Tsai called on Congressional President Taracena and exchanged pleasantries. After that, members of the Guatemalan Congress accompanied the president into the legislative chamber. After the playing of the two countries' national anthems and welcoming remarks from Mr. Taracena, President Tsai delivered her address.

The following is a translation of the president's address:

First, on behalf of the government of the Republic of China and the 23 million people of Taiwan, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Guatemalan Congress and all of its members for inviting me to be here.

I thank all of you for allowing everyone in our delegation to take part in this solemn session of Congress and letting me deliver this address. Speaking on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to take this opportunity to convey our deepest respect for the people of Guatemala and the firm friendship between our two countries.

I think it is worth mentioning here that your Congressional President told me earlier my address would be broadcast via Canal del Congreso, your new congressional television station that has been established as the result of a cooperation project between Taiwan and Guatemala. It is my understanding that this is the first public broadcast by this system. This is a great honor for me.

This is the first time I've ever been to Guatemala, and I must say, the people, the scenery, and the colorful buildings that I've seen in Guatemala City and Antigua have left a very deep impression on me.

Yesterday I visited Antigua, which is designated as a UN World Heritage site. When Antigua was hit by a big earthquake a few years ago, a reconstruction team from Taiwan had the honor of taking part in the recovery effort, and they worked very hard. I feel certain that every Taiwanese person who took part in the recovery effort in Antigua will feel proud to see that Antigua is being steadily restored to its former beauty and is attracting large numbers of tourists.

I hope that my visit can afford more people in Taiwan the opportunity to see how beautiful Antigua is. Taiwan and Guatemala are located far apart geographically, but we have an unchanging friendship and shared values.

Our friendship, which dates back over 80 years, and the forces that hold it together, are most certainly not limited to diplomatic relations and official dealings. More importantly, it is our substantive exchanges and cooperation that have earned mutual trust and friendship among our peoples.

Over the past few years, our technical mission in Guatemala has promoted the planting of bamboo groves and shared tips with Guatemalan people on the many uses that can be made of bamboo. It can be used, for example, to construct strong, durable, and low-cost buildings. Bamboo buildings now serve as elementary school buildings in remote regions, and are thus helping to narrow the educational gap between urban and rural areas.

Our technical mission is also cooperating with the Guatemalan government on the Food Processing Project. With papayas, in particular, Taiwan's technical mission is providing guidance on cultivation, processing, and packaging techniques, and the Tainung No. 1 hybrid papaya has now become an important export product for Guatemala that brings in big foreign exchange earnings and generates a lot of job opportunities.

In addition to our substantive exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan and Guatemala also have many shared values. Most important among these is our commitment to democracy.

When I was being welcomed with military honors yesterday, I was invited to do the daily changing of the rose at the Monument of Peace at the National Palace of Culture. I deeply felt how terribly the Guatemalan people must have suffered as they struggled for freedom, democracy, and peace, and I felt a strong admiration for their unflagging determination.

The same is true of the people of Taiwan. We, too, lived through war and authoritarian rule before finally attaining the democracy and freedom we have today. We have both seen dark days in the past. And in both our cases, it was only our tenacious dedication to the ideal of freedom that gradually brought democracy and peace into the daily lives of our peoples.

We both firmly believe that people who have experienced suffering are certain to be all the more appreciative of the well-being they enjoy. The past experience of the Guatemalan people is very unfortunate, but we both believe that if we learn the lessons of history, a better future will certainly await.

In terms of both our shared values and our substantive cooperation, the friendship between Taiwan and Guatemala is firm and stable.

For many years, Guatemala has spoken up on Taiwan's behalf in the international community. On behalf of the government of the Republic of China, I thank Guatemala. Taiwan's path to engagement with the world has many detours and difficulties, but we stick resolutely to it.

After my inauguration as president in May of last year, I adopted a new diplomatic strategy of "steadfast diplomacy based on strengthening mutual assistance for mutual benefits." I hope to use substantive cooperation to contact our diplomatic allies and discuss mutually beneficial projects that more closely meet the needs of both sides.

Over the past few years in Guatemala we have worked via the Overseas Engineering & Construction Company to help widen Highway CA-9. We are motivated to do this because we believe that building infrastructure spurs economic and industrial development, and makes for a more prosperous society.

And beyond helping with infrastructure development, we also work to help Guatemala cultivate human resources. There are now 51 students from Guatemala studying in Taiwan under the Taiwan Scholarship Program or with support from our International Cooperation and Development Fund. These students are front-line people-to-people ambassadors who are helping to enhance our bilateral friendship.

In order to help improve education and health in Guatemala, we have brought student book bags with us and want to donate them to be used by students here. And we've also brought various medicines in the hope that they can contribute to better public health in Guatemala.

At the same time, we have already begun evaluating the possibility of launching a new project to provide medical care for pregnant women and newborns in order to reduce the risks faced by mothers and infants, and to provide support and training systems that will afford Guatemalan healthcare workers the opportunities to take part in more cooperation and exchanges with Taiwan, and even receive training in Taiwan.

With regard to trade ties, Taiwan and Guatemala signed a free trade agreement in 2006, and in 2016 our two-way trade amounted to about US$250 million, while Taiwanese investments in Guatemala topped US$100 million. Guatemala's most important export to Taiwan is coffee. Guatemalan coffee is easy to find pretty much anywhere in Taiwan, and the quality is world-class.

While visiting in Central America over the past few days, I've met for talks with Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and your President Morales. I've come away from these talks with the feeling that the countries of Central America have excellent development potential and a strong desire for prosperity.

In line with the spirit of "steadfast diplomacy," Taiwan hopes to join hands with Guatemala and continue to devise mutually beneficial projects. I understand that Central American countries attach considerable importance to the automation of manufacturing processes, processing of agricultural products, green energy, logistics, economic infrastructure development, textiles and apparel, and digital communications.

As it happens, these are industries that Taiwan is also very interested in right now. It was with these industries in mind that we decided to invite a group of business leaders to join our delegation on this trip. I have always believed that personal experience is the most important aspect in terms of our policy of "steadfast diplomacy."

I also hope that after everyone has had a first-hand look at Central American markets, they will have a more fully developed idea about how the industries of the future need to go about establishing a global presence. And I hope that, in the midst of a changing world, Taiwan's industries will find more opportunities and solutions.

Beginning this year, we will periodically help Taiwan's business community to form investment and procurement missions, and I hope this approach will continue to enhance our bilateral economic and trade relations.

In addition, I also hope that Taiwan's diplomacy will come to be shaped by a wider range of intellectual approaches. Working in line with the principle of mutual assistance for mutual benefits, we need to engage in more discussions with our diplomatic allies and identify more cooperation projects that are new and mutually beneficial.

In the digital communications industry, for example, we have world-class companies and talent, and in recent years we've been actively working to narrow the digital divide.

I hope we can establish a new model for international cooperation. I hope that technological development won't just be one aspect of our government's cooperation projects; it would also be good if, while working on cooperation projects, we could also be looking for new markets to embark upon.

Our delegation, for example, includes representatives of Taiwan's high-tech firms. I hope that we can donate cloud-based digital education systems. Such systems are special not just for their hardware, but also because they come as part of a package that includes cooperation projects to provide ongoing training and education.

Taiwan is building up its digital education capability and laying the foundation for coding education, which Taiwan will soon include in its school curricula. We hope that by having teachers from Taiwan and Guatemala go through the same teacher training programs, in the future children in Guatemala who receive instruction in the use of computers will have the chance to learn coding.

I am aware that the effort to narrow the digital divide is time-consuming and difficult, but we shouldn't shrink from doing what is right just because there are difficulties. Taiwan will seize upon every opportunity to contribute to the international community, so that the world will see our determination to be engaged.

In closing, on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to once more thank Congressional President Taracena and all the assembled members of Congress. Taiwan deeply cherishes its friendship with Guatemala and hopes that, with the support of the Guatemalan Congress, our two countries can continue to assist each other and enjoy diplomatic ties that grow stronger with each passing year. I also want to express my wishes for good health and good fortune to Mr. Taracena, all the members of Congress, and the distinguished guests.

After concluding her address, President Tsai signed the congressional guest book and penned a Chinese phrase: "Strive for democracy, pursue freedom." The president's address before the Congress was also streamed on the website of the Guatemalan Congress and broadcast live by Claro TV.

Prior to their arrival at the Guatemalan Congress, President Tsai and her delegation visited the Guatemalan Supreme Court and engaged in a wide-ranging discussion regarding the two countries' judicial systems.

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President Lai meets delegation led by Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste of Republic of Haiti
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President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era.  The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.
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