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On the morning of January 13, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation focusing on democracy and Indo-Pacific strategy from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a Washington-based think tank. She thanked her visitors for their interest in and great support for Taiwan, and stated that Taiwan is the first line of defense for democratic values, and we are steadfast partners with the United States and Australia in the Indo-Pacific, having engaged in close cooperation over the past three years. Taiwan will continue to safeguard stability in the Taiwan Strait and seek to further deepen our collaboration with countries throughout the region in promoting regional development and prosperity, she said.
A translation of the president's remarks follows:
The 2020 election has just come to an end. We were very pleased to have both old and new friends from the AEI here in Taiwan to observe the election process. Thank you all for your interest in Taiwan and for your great support.
I understand that Senior Vice President Danielle Pletka and Mr. Tom Switzer are both from Australia. The recent bushfires in Australia have been a profoundly saddening affair, and we are more than willing to offer any assistance that may be needed.
Taiwan, the United States, and Australia are steadfast partners in the Indo-Pacific, and we have engaged in close cooperation over the past three years and more. Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to make an even greater contribution to the region particularly in the areas of disaster prevention and relief, humanitarian assistance, women's empowerment, and the digital economy.
As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to safeguard stability in the Taiwan Strait and seek to further deepen our collaboration with countries throughout the region in promoting regional development and prosperity.
Relations between Taiwan and the United States are the best they have ever been thanks to our joint efforts over the past three years and more. Last year, a number of big-name US multinationals expanded their investments in Taiwan. And we believe that signing a Taiwan-US bilateral trade agreement would help further economic and bilateral trade growth, a win-win situation. And we will continue working toward that goal.
I am sure that during your time here, you have gained a deep impression of the Taiwanese people's passion for elections, their hopes for the future of our country, and their insistence on a democratic and free way of life.
Taiwan is the first line of defense for democratic values. Last month, we passed the anti-infiltration act, which aims to strengthen our defensive mechanisms for democracy. We also look forward to working with like-minded countries to boost exchanges on such issues as media literacy, democratic discipline, and democratic defensive mechanisms. In this way, Taiwan will continue to shine as a beacon of democracy for the world.
To close, I thank you all once again for supporting Taiwan, and look forward to even more exchanges with you in the years ahead. In the meantime, I wish you all a pleasant and successful trip. Thank you!
