Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

While meeting with a delegation from National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) on the morning of November 11, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that Taiwan is the first line of defense protecting democratic values, and we will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US, and other like-minded countries to protect our democratic values and way of life. We will also continue to utilize Taiwan's advantages and strengths, so that together, we can make greater contributions to the world, she added.

A translation of the president's remarks follows:

First, I would like to welcome Ambassador Susan Elliott as you lead another delegation to Taiwan. During my transit stop in New York City this past July, I had a chance to share the tremendous progress in Taiwan-US relations with Ambassador Elliott, Ambassador Raymond Burghardt, and many other good friends. So I'm delighted to meet with you again today in Taiwan.

Since July, Taiwan and the US have continued to collaborate on several breakthrough programs, including co-sponsorship of the first Indo-Pacific Democratic Governance Consultations, and the first Taiwan-US Pacific Islands Dialogue. These pioneering initiatives show that the Taiwan-US partnership continues to deepen. 

After the US Senate recently passed the TAIPEI Act, the House Foreign Affairs Committee also passed the House version. We are very grateful to the Congress for showing bipartisan support for Taiwan's international participation.

The US is Taiwan's most important strategic and economic partner. Under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, we have successfully cosponsored 21 international workshops to help spur regional exchanges and cooperation. This year, Japan and Sweden also joined us to cosponsor several events, showing that more and more countries recognize Taiwan's dedication to promoting regional development. We are all working together to enhance relationships in countries throughout the Indo-Pacific for mutual benefit and prosperity.

Taiwan is the first line of defense protecting democratic values. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US, and other like-minded countries to protect our democratic values and way of life. We will also continue to utilize Taiwan's advantages and strengths to highlight our role as a force for good in the world.

All of you here today are bridges connecting Taiwan and the US. We consider the National Committee on American Foreign Policy an important think tank, and platform for exchanges. I would also like to specially thank all of you, and many other friends, for your long-term, staunch support for Taiwan. Your efforts have continually strengthened Taiwan-US ties, so that together, we can make greater contributions to the world. I hope this trip will lead to even more exchanges on a wide range of issues.

Also present were Susan Thornton, Senior Fellow at the Paul Tsai China Center of Yale Law School; Mark Tokola, Vice President of the Korea Economic Institute of America; Ryan Hass, Rubenstein Fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution; and Rorry Grace Daniels, Deputy Project Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security of NCAFP.