President Tsai meets delegation from North American Taiwanese Association
At a meeting on the afternoon of May 22 with a visiting delegation from the North American Taiwanese Association, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that the Beijing authorities' use of political means to exclude Taiwan from the World Health Assembly (WHA) did not help cross-strait relations, and was a disservice to the global disease prevention system.
President Tsai said that, of course, Taiwan was unable to attend the WHA because of Beijing's political machinations. The Beijing authorities' use of political means to exclude Taiwan from the global disease prevention network did not help cross-strait relations, and was a disservice to the global disease prevention system.
President Tsai said she has seen that recently, mainland China has not only been suppressing Taiwan's international participation, but also often interfered with private-sector companies around the world by compelling them to change Taiwan's name. The president emphasized once again that this kind of reckless behavior only creates more resentment, neither helping improve cross-strait relations nor benefiting China's international image.
The president then solemnly admonished mainland China to immediately cease this kind of behavior, which harms all parties involved, and reiterated the Taiwan government's position: Mainstream public opinion in Taiwan favors international participation and engagement. In cross-strait relations, she said, our goodwill will not change, our commitments will not change, and we will not revert to the old path of confrontation. But we will not bow to pressure.
President Tsai noted that the delegation members are all important Taiwanese expatriate community leaders in the United States, and Taiwanese associations throughout the region bring Taiwanese together, and raise Taiwan's profile. She pointed out that internationally, Taiwan is in a difficult position, so diplomacy can't be limited to the government alone. The government and citizens have to work together, and Taiwanese-Americans are a key force helping Taiwan engage with the world.
President Tsai pointed out that last year the United States included Taiwan under its Global Entry program, and this year, with congressional support, President Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act. We thank the Taiwanese expatriate community in the United States for their contribution to this success, she said.
The president added that many Taiwanese expatriates have recently held news conferences at different locations around the United States, written letters to members of Congress and government officials, and even traveled to Geneva, Switzerland so the international community will know how important it is for Taiwan to participate in the WHA.
President Tsai further pointed out that many countries have spoken out in Taiwan's defense, and just last week 172 members of the US House of Representatives as well as 13 US Senators sent two separate letters to the World Health Organization (WHO) urging them to allow Taiwan's unconditional participation in the WHA. She also said that Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-Chung (陳時中) was currently in Geneva heading up a WHA action delegation, seeking every possible opportunity for dialogue so that the world will hear Taiwan's voice and appreciate Taiwan's professional healthcare capabilities. She emphasized that in diplomacy, there is no room for defeatism, and we must strengthen Taiwan's international presence.
Commenting on changes that have taken place in Taiwan in recent years, the president pointed to social housing, which is now being built in different locations throughout Taiwan to provide young people with affordable housing. Some people are also utilizing the Long-term Care 2.0 Plan. Under that plan, the government has expanded the scope of its services to care for the needs of those with diminished mental and physical abilities, as well as others in need of long-term care. People with a special interest in technological innovation probably know that companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, and Cisco have all made recent moves to establish new R&D centers in Taiwan, or expand existing facilities. Those interested in renewable energy know that the world's leading offshore wind energy firms are hard at work developing that sector in Taiwan. These advances are all unprecedented, she said.
President Tsai stated that one-by-one, Taiwan's government is now doing things that previous governments were either afraid to attempt or unable to achieve. She also expressed confidence that her visitors would come away from this trip to Taiwan with renewed confidence in Taiwan's future. The president concluded her remarks by wishing the delegation a successful trip, and asking her visitors to convey Taiwan's best regards to their fellow Taiwanese expatriates in the United States.