Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of February 28, President Lai Ching-te attended the nation’s main memorial ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of the 228 Incident. President Lai again offered an apology on behalf of the nation and stated that the government will accelerate its work to make political archives available for public access and to clarify the facts of history; proceed further with implementing transitional justice and strive for social reconciliation; and prevent a recurrence of any historical tragedy similar to the 228 Incident. President Lai emphasized that only a nation ruled by the people is capable of preventing the state apparatus from repeatedly causing harm to the people. The president stated that he will bring Taiwan together for greater solidarity, regardless of ethnicity and irrespective of when we arrived, and that so long as we identify with Taiwan, Taiwan belongs to us all. He expressed hope that everyone can work together. He also expressed hope that our determination to defend national sovereignty and safeguard the free and democratic constitutional system will remain unchanged; and that our resolve to ensure that the people can live and work in peace and happiness, resist aggression and annexation, and prevent a recurrence of such historical tragedies as the 228 Incident will remain unchanged. A translation of the president’s remarks follows: Today is the first time for me to attend the nation’s main memorial ceremony marking the anniversary of the 228 Incident in my capacity as president, so I want to start by again offering an apology on behalf of the nation. I want to convey my respect to all of the oppressed persons who courageously faced the authoritarianism of that earlier time, and express my grief for the victims who lost their lives. To those who escaped death and are still with us, I offer my sympathy. And to all the family members I extend my condolences. My heart is always with you. It has been 78 years since the 228 Incident. The survivors are seeing their numbers dwindle due to the ravages of time. The highly respected Mr. Lin Tsai-shou (林才壽), who was the founding chairperson of the Changhua County 228 Incident Care Association and who spent his remaining years fighting for transitional justice, recently passed away. Each time a victim of the 228 Incident passes away, it is very hard for us to say goodbye. Being here today, I hope that as each victim leaves us, they leave behind the struggles of this world and find peace in a better place. The 228 Incident was not sparked by ethnic conflict, and in holding this memorial, we are not stirring up ethnic conflict. Those who describe the entire 228 Incident as a matter of ethnic conflict demonstrate no ability for self-criticism, an utter lack of remorse, and no awareness of their own responsibility. That is not right. The 228 Incident occurred because Taiwanese society at that time was already beginning to enjoy the benefits of modern civilization. Whether at night or during the day, people did not have to close their doors. The main mode of transportation at that time, bicycles, did not need to be locked. People raised chickens and ducks in cages right outside their homes and never worried about them getting stolen. That is what Taiwanese society was like back then. But the troops that came over from the mainland had been through many years of war, including the Northern Expedition, the war of resistance against Japan, and the civil war against the Communist Party. It is impossible that their living standards could have been comparable to what we had in Taiwan. The theft, robbery, and destruction that they engaged in, and the general disparity in their level of civilization, generated widespread outrage as well as backlash. Troops under Chen Yi (陳儀) were poorly disciplined. And as the dictator Chiang Kai-shek was being steadily forced to retreat from the mainland, he committed heinous crimes to ensure that he would be able to establish rule in Taiwan. Countless numbers of innocent people were arrested, imprisoned, beaten, or killed. Families were torn apart, and many people fled overseas. Taiwan lost a generation of its elite, which had an immeasurable impact on Taiwanese society. The 228 Incident was long a taboo subject in Taiwanese society. For decades the Taiwanese people dared not speak of it because, living in an oppressive political climate, no one had the courage to speak their mind. It was only after the Taiwanese fought together in solidarity and achieved democracy that the government began to offer apologies, provide compensation, restore people’s reputations, set up monuments, and established a holiday for remembrance. The government eventually established a 228 Memorial Foundation, and now holds an annual ceremony to mark the anniversary of the incident. We wish to recognize everyone who has participated in and contributed to transitional justice for the 228 Incident. Considerable progress has been achieved on this front, but as 228 Memorial Foundation Chairman Hsueh Hua-yuan (薛化元) has noted, some in Taiwan wonder why we always speak of the victims but not the perpetrators. Some also ask why we are not exactly sure what happened to some of the victims. With such uncertainties, they say, the process of transitional justice offers little comfort to the victims or their families, and there is no true social reconciliation. Looking to the future, I myself, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), and the relevant Executive Yuan agencies should coordinate with the 228 Memorial Foundation. Over the past few years, people in all walks of life have continued advancing the cause of transitional justice. Especially as it applies to information regarding the perpetrators, we need to enable our society to fully know the facts. On this basis, let us strive together for social reconciliation so that we can all work together in solidarity. However, we also know that tracking down the facts of history is not easy. For instance, the murders at the Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) residence, which happened on February 28, 1980, remain unsolved to this day. But investigations and research reports that have come out in recent years have not been able to rule out the possibility of the state’s involvement. However, it has at least been proven that Taiwan’s intelligence apparatus obstructed investigations into the case and even destroyed key evidence. The government cannot claim it bears absolutely no responsibility for the murders at the Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) residence. So today, on behalf of the government, I apologize to the Lin family. Moving forward, I will continue leading the government in addressing the 228 Incident on several fronts. First, we will accelerate our work to make political archives available for public access and to clarify the facts of history: Last year I instructed the National Security Bureau to manually inspect roughly one million records at the bureau pertaining to the period of martial law, and to conduct an inventory to determine which of those records qualify as political archives. This inventory process is scheduled for completion by May. The results of the inventory will be reported by June to the National Archives Administration, National Development Council for approval. The political archives will then be made available for public access, and anyone will be able to use them to ascertain the facts of history. Second, the government will proceed further with implementing transitional justice: With regard to the physical locations where human rights abuses took place during the period of authoritarian rule, the Ministry of Culture has launched deliberation procedures to discuss the preservation of “locations of significance to transitional justice.” This includes the site where members of the Lin I-hsiung (林義雄)  family were murdered – the present Gikong Presbyterian Church, which is a historical site of authoritarian-era human rights violations. I will ask our Ministry of Culture to launch a deliberation procedure to discuss the classification of Gikong Presbyterian Church as a “location of significance to transitional justice” and the provision of a commensurate level of preservation and maintenance. I hope that future generations in Taiwan will be able to visit historic sites and reflect upon how authoritarian rule undermines human rights and freedom. I also hope that, by working together, we can more deeply entrench our democracy. And third, we intend to prevent a recurrence of any historical tragedy similar to the 228 Incident: Each year’s ceremony to mark the anniversary of the 228 Incident is not simply about memorializing the victims, consoling their family members, and healing old wounds. These ceremonies are intended to take history as a lesson so as to ensure that history will not be repeated. We are all well aware that we have a nation insofar as we have sovereignty; we have a democracy insofar as we have a nation; we have rule by the people insofar as we have democracy; and only a nation ruled by the people is capable of preventing the state apparatus from repeatedly causing harm to the people. We are also well aware that China has not renounced the possibility of using military force to annex Taiwan. The greatest threat to Taiwan’s sovereignty, to Taiwan’s democracy, and to rule by the people of Taiwan, comes from China. In recent years, China has not renounced the possibility of using military force to annex Taiwan; it has stepped up its political and military intimidation. It has taken advantage of Taiwan’s democracy, freedom, diversity, and openness to influence citizens, organized crime rings, on-air political commentators, political parties, and even current and retired members of the armed forces and police, seeking to draw them into its united front for infiltration and division and thus undermine Taiwan. A report from the National Security Bureau indicates that 64 persons were charged last year with suspicion of spying for China, which was four times the number of persons charged for the same offense in 2021. It is thus clear that Taiwan faces a very serious challenge. It is my mission as president to bring Taiwan together for greater solidarity, and this must be done regardless of ethnicity and irrespective of when we arrived. So long as we identify with Taiwan, Taiwan belongs to us all. I will bring Taiwan together. I hope that our determination to defend our national sovereignty and safeguard our free and democratic constitutional system will remain unchanged. And our resolve to ensure that the people can live and work in peace and happiness, resist aggression and annexation, and prevent a recurrence of such historical tragedies as the 228 Incident remains unchanged. Let us all work together toward that end.

On the morning of February 28, in Chiayi County, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the nation's main memorial ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the 228 Incident. The president offered a floral wreath in memory of the victims, and stated that over the past eight years the government has worked systematically to advance work in transitional justice, pointing out that it has completed four fact-finding investigation reports to restore historical truths and has helped victims to restore their reputations and receive compensation. She said that nearly 2,000 applications for compensation have been accepted for processing, and the government has already paid out a total of more than NT$4 billion in compensation. The government's effort last year to pass an amendment to the Political Archives Act saw support from both the ruling and opposition parties, she said, and that amendment enters into force today. The president emphasized that transitional justice is not intended to be directed at any particular political party. Rather, she said, it is that the government in a democratic system must take responsibility for illegal acts committed by the state during an earlier period of authoritarian rule and make amends for past harms. She said that honestly facing up to our history is the only way Taiwan's democratic institutions can become more deeply rooted and continue to evolve. Emphasizing that there is no shortcut to transitional justice, and that scars in the memory do not easily fade, the president said that our generation must take concrete action to find ways to peacefully coexist with history and build an even more open society. She said that to face the past, we must not forget the past, much less fear to remember it; and to face the future, we must continue to deepen our discussions as we pursue a more democratic, sustainable social community. A translation of the president's remarks follows: The February 28 Incident filled the people of Taiwan with a desire for democracy and freedom, but authoritarianism and heavy-handed rule stymied the seeds of democracy and ushered in the White Terror era. This difficult period of the past left a scar on Taiwan's history. To help this scar to heal, we must first understand the nature of the wound. Until we honestly face facts and listen to one other, we cannot close our wounds and reach the genuine reconciliation that ends our history being a cause of division in Taiwan. Once we do this, the people of Taiwan will be better able to join together in defense of democracy and move forward together. Over the past eight years, we have worked systematically to advance work in transitional justice. In the area of legislative action, we began with reinforcing the foundation for transitional justice by amending the Act Governing the Settlement of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations, the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice, the Organizational Act of the National Human Rights Museum, the Political Archives Act, and the Act to Restore Victim's Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule. We have also established specialized organizations and mechanisms that form the engine moving our transitional justice project forward. Now that the Transitional Justice Commission has completed its mission, the Executive Yuan is coordinating the efforts of six central government agencies that have taken over the task of implementing transitional justice work. Building on this foundation, our government has completed four fact-finding investigation reports to restore historical truths, and we have amended legislation to improve the handling of political archives and ill-gotten assets in the possession of political parties. From the ill-gotten party assets that have been appropriated by the state, a special fund has been established to support public welfare and transitional justice-related work. We have also helped victims restore their reputations and receive compensation. Nearly 2,000 applications for compensation have been accepted for processing by the Restoration of Victim's Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule Foundation since it was established over a year ago. Last year, for the first time ever, our government returned property to a victim from whom it had been illegally confiscated by the state during the period of authoritarian rule. In total, the government has already paid out more than NT$4 billion in compensation. Transitional justice is not intended to be directed at any particular political party. Rather, it is that the government in a democratic system must take responsibility for illegal acts committed by the state during an earlier period of authoritarian rule and make amends for past harms. Honestly facing up to our history is the only way Taiwan's democratic institutions can become more deeply rooted and continue to evolve. After years of hard work, the 228 Memorial Foundation has identified 2,340 victims of the 228 Incident, and has additionally identified more than 4,000 possible victims. In a short while, acting on behalf of the government, I will be awarding "certificates of restored reputation" to the family members of several victims of the 228 Incident. Two of these individuals had originally been classified as "possible victims," but after historical archives were made available for public access it was confirmed that they had indeed been victims. Our experience in this case showed us that there remain more historical truths for the government to help bring to light. This is why the government saw support from both the ruling and opposition parties last year when it worked to pass an amendment to the Political Archives Act. That amendment did pass, and it enters into force today. Political archives provide many important pieces in the puzzle of our historical past, so I would like to ask our national security officials to adopt an open-minded attitude. I would like for them to declassify more political archives and make them publicly accessible to the greatest possible extent. Our transitional justice work encompasses truth, justice, reparation, memorialization, and, most importantly, guarantees of non-recurrence. These are the five internationally recognized pillars of transitional justice. We have also seen different sectors of Taiwanese society contribute to transitional justice, each in its own way. In Search of a Mixed Identity, a film about a victim of the 228 Incident, will premiere next month, and the Gongsheng Music Festival, which is held annually to commemorate the incident, marked its 12th year in 2024. I want to thank the many civil society organizations and young people who have worked so long and hard to further the cause of transitional justice. You have given of yourselves for the nation, providing fresh tinder to keep the torch of democracy alight and keep it glowing ever stronger. I must also thank the Executive Yuan, the Transitional Justice Commission, the Ill-Gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee, and the various central government agencies and civil society organizations that have accompanied us on this undertaking every step of the way. Together we have worked on behalf of those who suffered the indignities of the 228 Incident and the White Terror era so that they can put the darkness behind them. But I know full well that our efforts pale in comparison to what the victims and their family members have been through. There is no shortcut to transitional justice, and scars in the memory do not easily fade. Our generation must take concrete action to find ways to peacefully coexist with history and build an even more open society.  I have spoken with the Executive Yuan about the three points that Chiang Jung-sen (江榮森) just raised. As a matter of fact, these three points are related to issues the Executive Yuan is actively addressing right now, and I am confident that the Executive Yuan will come forward with public statements at the proper times. These matters are all part of the government's work, and we will continue doing our best to address them. To face the past, we must not forget the past, much less fear to remember it. To face the future, we must continue to deepen our discussions as we pursue a more democratic, sustainable social community.

On September 10, President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the 16th meeting of the Presidential Office Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee as committee convener, with Vice President Lai Ching-te attending as deputy convener. In her opening remarks, President Tsai noted that this committee was established at the Presidential Office both to address current issues through direct dialogue and to continue our efforts to restore historical truth and promote ethnic reconciliation. As an example of these efforts, President Tsai visited Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County this past April to witness a Sbalay reconciliation ceremony between the Atayal indigenous communities of the Skaru watershed, the Forestry Bureau, and Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters. The meeting's first report was on this reconciliation ceremony, and included presentations by Veterans Affairs Council Deputy Minister Lee Wen-chung (李文忠), Forestry Bureau Director General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶), Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters Director Chang Wei-chuan (張維銓), representative of the Skaru watershed tribal communities Laling Yumin, and Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Icyang Parod. President Tsai thanked the government agencies and indigenous peoples who participated in the reconciliation process and gave presentations, and expressed hope that this case involving the Skaru watershed tribal communities will become an important precedent. In his capacity as chair of the Subcommittee on Reconciliation, Vice Minister of Culture Lee Lien-chuan (李連權) delivered the meeting's second report, which was on the results of the exhibition organized by the Ministry of Culture this past August to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day. The exhibition was titled "ita/kita," which mean "us" in many of Taiwan's indigenous languages. Minister Icyang Parod, as executive secretary of the committee, then explained that Committee Deputy Convener Alang Manglavan and the committee members had reached a consensus to put 38 member proposals on the meeting agenda. After reviewing each of these proposals, it was suggested that one proposal involving self-government laws be handled at a dedicated meeting, and that the other 37 proposals be referred by the Executive Yuan to the relevant agencies for further consideration and responses. Vice President Lai, presiding in lieu of President Tsai, then delivered concluding remarks to the committee members. In his remarks, Vice President Lai said he was moved by the report on the Sbalay reconciliation ceremony, and expressed his belief that the ceremony will not only help resolve similar issues involving Taiwan's indigenous peoples, as President Tsai said, but that it has further significance, in that indigenous peoples were the earliest inhabitants of this land and accepted and welcomed those who arrived later. The vice president added that, given its size, Taiwan would be a more harmonious place if people throughout this land could display the spirit and open-mindedness of the Sbalay ceremony, and emphasized that Taiwan belongs to all its 23 million people, regardless of when they arrived. Noting that President Tsai's apology to indigenous peoples included the Pingpu peoples, Vice President Lai pointed out that the Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee set up by the Presidential Office has also invited Pingpu people to attend its meetings, and stated the need to actively research a way to rectify the name "Pingpu." Also in attendance at the meeting were Deputy Secretary-General to the President Li Chun-yi (李俊俋) in his capacity as deputy executive secretary of the committee, Minister without Portfolio Lin Wan-i (林萬億), Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te (李永得), and 27 committee members participating via video from Taipei, Hualien, Taitung, and Kaohsiung.

Committee Convener President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the 10th meeting of the Presidential Office Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee (the Committee) on June 18. The meeting ran for approximately two and a half hours. At the meeting, the Subcommittee on Culture and the Subcommittee on Reconciliation presented progress reports on their work, and the Committee discussed proposals regarding "traditional indigenous place names" and "categorization and public access for Committee documents." Agilasay Pakawyan (林志興), the convener of the Subcommittee on Culture, delivered a presentation entitled "The Justice of Giving Back My Name: How the Policy of Assimilation Undermined Indigenous Naming Customs and Kinship Systems." Afterward, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen (陳宗彥) and Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Icyang Parod (夷將‧拔路兒) commented on the presentation and exchanged views with Committee members. President Tsai then expressed the following three views: First, the president thanked the Subcommittee on Culture for its report, which she said clearly showed both past and present challenges that traditional indigenous naming customs have faced. Second, the report clearly shows that when the government amended the Name Act to safeguard the right of indigenous peoples to restore their indigenous names, it was not granting them "extra privilege." Rather, the government was returning a right that had previously been wrongfully stripped from them. This is historical justice in action. Third, it is apparent from the percentage of indigenous peoples who have resumed the use of their indigenous names that our related legislation and policies need to be more detailed and thoughtful. Taiwanese society as a whole still has more to learn about traditional indigenous names as well. The Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Ministry of the Interior, and all sectors of society need to continue working on this front. The president also called on the Ministry of the Interior to resolve difficulties surrounding the romanization of indigenous languages. The progress report by the Subcommittee on Reconciliation was presented by its convener, Bavaragh Dagalomai (謝若蘭), who described the Subcommittee's experiences with the collection of information on reconciliation customs among Taiwan's various ethnic groups, the comparison of findings with indigenous transitional justice cases overseas, and the use of societal communication to spur broad-ranging dialogue. After exchanging views with Committee members, President Tsai expressed the following two viewpoints: First, the president thanked the Subcommittee on Reconciliation for its hard work. In the video they had just watched, one particular statement made a deep impression on the president: "This is a trip in which we move from the 2% of society comprised by indigenous peoples toward the other 98% of society." The president pointed out that if we want the social engineering programs of historical justice and transitional justice to move forward and continue on, we indeed need to engage in more communication and dialogue. Second, President Tsai pointed out that the Subcommittee on Reconciliation's experience is a model for how to promote transitional justice for all ethnic groups. In addition to praising the Subcommittee for its efforts and encouraging it to keep up the good work, the president also urged Committee members and government officials to consider the Subcommittee's experience and act in the spirit of "ethnic mainstreaming" by working to spur better understanding and increased interaction among different ethnic groups. During the meeting, Committee members made a total of 22 proposals and four extemporaneous motions. One proposal came from Committee member and Truku tribe representative Teyra Yudaw (帖喇‧尤道), requesting the restoration of indigenous names for townships, villages, and roadways. Shu-ya Lin (林淑雅), an academic expert on the Committee, put forward another proposal that the National Archives Administration should be instructed to categorize the documents of the Committee's thematic subcommittees and make them available for public access. After Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Tsung-yen and Council of Indigenous Peoples Minister Icyang Parod explained the current status of legislation and policies regarding traditional place names, President Tsai concluded by instructing as follows: Under existing legislation, we do indeed have room to resume the use of traditional indigenous place names. The government will certainly support any such decision, so long as it complies with the law and enjoys consensus support among local residents of all ethnicities. After National Archives Administration Director-General Lin Chiu-yen (林秋燕) commented on the proposal regarding the management of archival records, President Tsai instructed as follows: The Committee's staff, subcommittees, and the National Archives Administration should discuss and come up with a concrete proposal together. In addition, a number of Committee members at this meeting focused their attention on the progress of efforts to amend the Mining Act and the Status Act for Indigenous Peoples. President Tsai made the following three statements: First, she said she had indeed pledged to complete amendments to the Mining Act and the Status Act for Indigenous Peoples. She asked Committee members to rest assured that her commitment remains unchanged. Second, deliberations for both amendment bills by Legislative Yuan committees have already been completed, and negotiations have narrowed the gaps between opposing positions. The president said she respects the views of the ruling and opposition party caucuses, and continues to closely follow developments. And third, the president understands that each Committee member hopes the amendments will be passed as soon as possible. However, the Legislative Yuan has recently called a special session and already has many bills on the agenda, so the legislators have a tough task ahead of them. The president said she will inquire into the possibility of these two amendments being put on the legislative agenda for the special session. If that isn't possible, then she hopes that the party caucuses can work during their next and final legislative session to complete amendments and make good on the government's pledges to the indigenous peoples.

President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the 10th meeting of the Presidential Office Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee on the afternoon of June 18. She said that there are a number of goals we should be working to achieve: restoring the use of indigenous names, initiating more dialogue, helping Taiwanese society better understand indigenous cultures, and gradually making the concepts of indigenous historical justice and transitional justice a part of the DNA of Taiwanese democracy. The following is a translation of President Tsai's remarks: Today is the 10th meeting of the Presidential Office Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee. Over the past three years, we have established the Committee's dialogue mechanism from the ground up, and have gradually begun discussing and addressing difficult issues. However, I must also acknowledge that, despite our efforts, we have not yet been able to change the perspectives of every single person in our society. As we promote our land policies, some citizens still don't understand what we are referring to when we speak of indigenous land rights. And when we promote policies on language, culture, and education, some people ask what right the indigenous peoples have to receive special benefits in these areas. Three years ago, I said that the first concept we need to change is "to see what was unfair in the past as a matter of course." Now, three years later, we need to work even harder precisely because we have not yet completely eliminated these misunderstandings and biases. On the one hand, just last month the Legislative Yuan amended the Education Act for Indigenous Peoples. We are going to expand indigenous education to the entire populace to encourage mutual understanding and respect among Taiwan's different ethnic groups. At the same time, our Committee should be working to reveal historical truths, restore the historical viewpoints of our indigenous peoples, and initiate further meaningful social dialogue. The Committee's Subcommittee on Reconciliation is going to present a progress report on its work today. Over the past two years, under the leadership of convener Bavaragh Dagalomai (謝若蘭), the Subcommittee on Reconciliation has held 120 lectures around the country and used Facebook to create more possibilities for communication and understanding among different ethnic groups. Indeed, loudly voicing previously suppressed views is a concrete demonstration of historical justice and transitional justice. To resurrect long-lost names is another way to make justice a reality. For today's meeting we have also arranged for the Subcommittee on Culture to present a report on "The Justice of Giving Back My Name." The subcommittee's convener Agilasay Pakawyan (林志興) is going to speak to us about how the past policy of assimilation undermined the indigenous peoples' naming customs and kinship systems. A proposal to resurrect indigenous place names is among the items on the agenda for discussion today. Whether it be the names of individual indigenous persons, or place names that hold the shared memories of an entire people, the government has related legislation and policies in place that can help indigenous peoples restore their traditional names. In just a little while, the Ministry of the Interior and the Council of Indigenous Peoples will go into more detail on this, and I hope Committee members will provide their views on any areas where our policies fall short. There are a number of goals we should be working to achieve: restoring the use of indigenous names, initiating more dialogue, helping Taiwanese society better understand indigenous cultures, and gradually making the concepts of indigenous historical justice and transitional justice a part of the DNA of Taiwanese democracy. So let's keep working together to achieve these goals. We will now begin today's meeting. Thank you. After completing her remarks, the president listened to a special report from the Subcommittee on Culture, received a progress report from the Subcommittee on Reconciliation, and exchanged views with Committee members on the resurrection of indigenous place names and other related proposals.

President Lai Ching-te recently met with Stephen Yates, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center; Buck Sexton, host of the American radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show; and Mr. Sexton’s brothers Mason and Keats. President Lai was also interviewed by Buck Sexton and responded to questions regarding cross-strait relations, the regional landscape, national defense, the economic and trade partnership between Taiwan and the United States, and Taiwan’s social welfare policies. The interview was broadcast on the early morning of October 7. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: One of the things we’ve noticed that has already gotten some attention back in the States is the sense of civic responsibility here, how respectful and law-biding everyone is, how safe everyone feels on your streets. It is inspiring to tell Americans about this. I also wanted to ask you about the situation right now with your neighbor, China. There’s obviously a lot of global concern about a sense of rhetoric heating up, a sense that there is a pathway now that is becoming more imminent that there could be a crisis. How do you want to describe the situation right now, for specifically an American audience? President Lai: First of all, I am very glad that you have seen a lot of things during your stay in Taiwan and that you are having a fruitful trip so far. I also want to thank you for commending our civil society. In the international community, Taiwan is often lauded as being a place where the most beautiful scenery is actually its people. Recently, due to a typhoon, a barrier lake overflowed in Hualien, causing a significant number of injuries and deaths. Streets and houses were covered in mud. Taiwanese society mobilized to help people affected. We had a long holiday weekend this past weekend. On the first day, 30,000 people traveled to Hualien to offer assistance. And on both the second and third days, another 40,000 went, meaning that over 100,000 people, of their own accord, took their shovels to help those affected. In our society, these people were referred to “superheroes with shovels.” So you can feel that in Taiwan there is a lot of warmth. People are kind. So our streets, at nighttime or daytime, are generally very safe. Your question was about Taiwan’s relations with China. I very much hope that everyone in the world who pays attention to Taiwan-China issues can be clear about several things. Firstly, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC. China does not have the right to invade Taiwan. Secondly, China has been holding military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, undermining peace and stability in the region. So it is China – not Taiwan – that is disrupting the cross-strait status quo. The fact that the Taiwanese people seek to protect their sovereignty and pursue a way of life based on democracy, freedom, and human rights should not be seen as a provocation against China. Thirdly, even though Taiwan is facing increasing threats from China, Taiwan has not given up on seeking peace and mutual prosperity across the strait. We understand that peace is priceless and that there are no winners in war. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential elements of global security and prosperity. Our pursuit of peace is an ideal, not a fantasy. We believe that to achieve peace, there must be strength. Since taking office, I have implemented the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. The first pillar is strengthening Taiwan’s national defense. Our defense spending, as defined by NATO, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP next year. And this will increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. We are procuring arms from the United States and partners across the international community. At the same time, we are promoting indigenous defense capabilities. We will work with the international community to codevelop arms, including R&D, design, and manufacturing. This will allow the domestic defense industry to grow and contribute to Taiwan’s security. Drones, unmanned submarines, and robotics are all areas that Taiwan will prioritize in the future. The second pillar is enhancing our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China. But last year, this number was only 7 percent. The United States is now Taiwan’s largest destination for outbound investment. In other words, we are not putting all of our eggs in the same basket. We hope that Taiwan’s industries will be rooted in Taiwan, deploy globally, and market across the world. This will not only strengthen our economy but also make it more resilient, thereby safeguarding Taiwan’s security. The third pillar is standing together with the United States and other free and democratic countries to bolster joint deterrence. This will allow us to prevent war by preparing for one. And fourthly, Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with China based on parity and dignity. Through exchanges and cooperation, we can achieve the goal of peace and mutual prosperity. I noticed that US President Donald Trump once said publicly that Xi Jinping actually called him and stated that he would not attack Taiwan during President Trump’s term in office. We hope that Taiwan will continue to enjoy the support of President Trump. If he is able to convince Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan, President Trump will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize. Q: If you could speak directly to President Trump about Taiwan’s situation right now, the security situation more specifically, what would you want him to know?  President Lai: If I had the chance to meet President Trump in person and talk about the current cross-strait situation, I would suggest that he take note of the fact that Xi Jinping is not just holding ever-larger military exercises in the Taiwan Strait but expanding China’s military deployment in the South and East China Seas. China’s military exercises now extend across the Indo-Pacific region. Its aircraft carriers are moving beyond the first island chain and second island chain. And its northern fleet even sailed around Japan for a week. Chinese naval vessels also conducted live-fire exercises in Australia’s exclusive economic zone. The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is changing constantly, and tensions are rising. So the issue is not only a possible annexation of Taiwan. If it is able to annex Taiwan, China will be in a stronger position to compete with the United States and alter the rules-based international order. This would eventually also impact US interests. So we hope that President Trump can continue to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is determined to ensure its national security. We will fulfill our responsibility and work with free and democratic countries to maintain regional peace and stability. Q: Because America has learned some difficult lessons about foreign policy and foreign policy intervention, there is a focus on partners who will carry their weight for their own defense and have a willingness to fight. If anyone in America, policymaker or citizen, has a question about whether Taiwan is willing to defend its own sovereignty, what would you say to them? President Lai: I would tell them that Taiwan is absolutely determined to ensure its own national security. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. So when Taiwan looks after its own national security, it shows that Taiwan is committed to protecting regional peace and stability as well. That is why, as I mentioned before, we are continuing to increase our national defense budget. So during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s term, the national defense budget was increased from 1.9 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent. Next year, it will reach 3.32 percent. And we hope to increase this to 5 percent by 2030. This would be five years earlier than NATO’s own goal. Also, we have established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee under the Office of the President. This committee brings various sectors of Taiwan together and combines the strengths of the public and private sectors to carry out exercises and drills that enhance whole-of-society defense. I also convened a high-level national security meeting in which we defined the Chinese Communist Party regime as a foreign hostile force; and I proposed 17 strategies to address the five major threats we face from China. These will translate into more than a hundred amendments to our national security laws, which will be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan during the current session. This will put Taiwan on a stronger legal footing, bolster its national defense, and allow people to contribute their power toward safeguarding our nation and protecting regional peace and stability. I believe that people help those who help themselves. So I very much agree with your idea that Taiwan and other countries should meet their own responsibilities. Only by helping ourselves can we expect help from others. And when we show unity and work together, that is when deterrence is at its strongest; and that is when we will be able to safeguard peace and stability in the world. Q: Obviously, there’s a tremendous global and American, specifically, interest in artificial intelligence and the future of it. Also very interesting is the incredible facility that TSMC has built and is building out more in Arizona. I would like to ask you to speak to the economic partnership, specifically in advanced technology, microchip manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, and the relationship between Taiwan and America going forward, and how you view that to grow and bring prosperity for both countries. President Lai: So we all know that Taiwan’s technology industry has performed well. This is the result of decades of cooperation among Taiwan’s industries, government, academia, and R&D sector, as well as the support of the Taiwanese people. But I must also note with appropriate humility that TSMC and the Taiwanese semiconductor industry are still only one part of a bigger ecosystem, and do not represent the whole system. So if you look at the entire semiconductor ecosystem, the United States is strong in areas such as innovation, R&D, and design. And it is also the biggest market. Japan is strong in raw materials and related equipment. And the Republic of Korea, they have flash memory. Taiwan’s strength is in wafer manufacturing. And the Netherlands makes the critical equipment that is used to make semiconductors. But in the whole ecosystem, you can see that around 80 percent of profits go to the United States. So for semiconductors, I would say the United States is still the leader in this ecosystem. Looking ahead, as we face the AI era, every nation in the semiconductor ecosystem will be extremely important. And the United States will continue to lead the world in this. So Taiwan is very willing to work with the United States to achieve this goal. We want to help the United States reindustrialize and become a global AI hub. We want the United States to continue to lead the world in this new AI era and we want to help make America great again. So with regard to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, we see it as an important responsibility in terms of ensuring the world’s future prosperity. That is why the Taiwan government has been very supportive of TSMC’s investments in the United States and Japan, as well as Germany. In the future, when the United States has reindustrialized and become a global AI hub, I am sure that TSMC will continue to play a crucial role. Q: Over the course of meetings with various members of your government, I learned something very interesting that has to do with family formation, a problem we have also started to look at in America. It will be very interesting, I think, to the American audience, to hear of countries that are trying to use policy to address issues like encouraging marriage and encouraging children so that a society can replenish – so that there is replenishment and there is resiliency. Could you please speak to some of the ways that you are encouraging people to have more kids here? What is Taiwan doing and how are those initiatives going so far? President Lai: I am very glad that you look positively at what we have been doing in Taiwan. Actually, Taiwan’s policies were made with reference to what the United States and other countries have been doing. Concerning our strategies: first, the government is supporting families in jointly raising children from birth to six years old by providing monthly subsidies. Tuition is also free for both public and private high schools and vocational schools. We also have a long-term care system for senior citizens. Across Taiwan, there are some 15,000 service centers with around 100,000 long-term care staff who look after seniors over the age of 65 as well as people with disabilities so that they can receive quality care. Young people who want to get married and have children are given priority in applying for social housing. If they want to buy a home, they can get government funding to subsidize the interest on their mortgage. And if they are renting, they can get a rent subsidy from the government. For couples who are having problems conceiving, the government subsidizes fertility treatment. We are also cutting taxes. Taiwan’s government is currently investing more in our society and cutting taxes by more than ever before in our history. These initiatives will help our young people feel confident that they can get married, have children, and will be able to raise them. I note that President Trump is also cutting taxes. We want to reduce the burden on households so that more people can start a family. This will promote social stability, prosperity, development, and continual growth for the country.