Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of October 19, President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao attended the opening of the Presidential Office Building’s all-new permanent exhibition, Together as One with Taiwan: The Ark of Democracy, and special exhibition, Super Taiwan Comics! The Flavors of Taiwan in Ink. In remarks, President Lai stated that the permanent exhibition, with the theme “Ark of Democracy,” has cross-disciplinary, cross-generational, and “cross-universe” features, and symbolizes how the people of Taiwan are all navigators of this Ark. He said that we will continue guiding the nation forward together with democracy and unity, and welcomed the public to visit the exhibition. Vice President Hsiao, in remarks, stated that the public can gain a deeper understanding of the historical context of the office as well as of the development of Taiwan through several eras. In his remarks, President Lai stated that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was born on September 28, 1986 in order to achieve democracy. Over its journey, he said, the DPP has worked together with the Taiwanese people, not just to break free from restrictions on political parties and the media, end martial law, call to abolish Article 100 of the Criminal Code, and achieve 100 percent freedom of speech, but also to tirelessly promote direct presidential elections and the complete re-election of the legislature, helping Taiwan shift from authoritarian rule to democracy. The president said that in 2000, the DPP took office for the first time, opening the Presidential Office Building to the public for weekday tours. This, he said, fully represents the spirit of democracy, as democracy is rule by the people, and the Presidential Office Building is not just the workplace of the president, vice president, and other staff. Its property rights belong to the whole body of citizens, he said, and citizens have the right to enter the Presidential Office Building and learn more about its architecture as well as Taiwan’s past. President Lai indicated that former President Tsai Ing-wen took the opening up of the Presidential Office Building even further by installing a permanent exhibition, similarly upholding the democratic spirit, and helping the public understand the significance of democracy on an even deeper level. The theme of the previous exhibition, he said, was “Power to the People,” while the theme of the new permanent exhibition, “Ark of Democracy,” envisions democratic Taiwan as an ark on the Pacific Ocean, with peace as our lighthouse; democracy as our compass; freedom, human rights, and the rule of law as our banners; culture and ecological sustainability as our hull; and technology as our driving force. The president said that the people of Taiwan are all navigators of this Ark, and we work together to guide a course of engagement with the world and usher in the future – these are the key concepts of the Ark of Democracy’s curation. President Lai expressed that the exhibition has three major features. First, he said, it is cross-disciplinary, introducing Taiwan’s rich natural ecology and technological achievements, showing that Taiwan is a diverse ark of ecology, technology, culture, and democracy. Second, he said, it is cross-generational, displaying not only images of the former presidents, but also exhibiting the history of Taiwan’s semiconductor development, civil movements, and democratization, and even explaining the architectural history of the Presidential Office Building in the first-floor corridors. The president said that members of the public who come to visit will be able to clearly understand that Taiwan’s achievements are hard-won and worth cherishing, and that we should unite all the more closely for even greater accomplishments. President Lai went on to say that the exhibition’s third feature is being “cross-universe,” with one of the exhibits utilizing AI technology to generate multiple universes showing what the world might look like without Taiwan, presenting the technical and futuristic aspects of AI as well as the importance of Taiwan. We will transform Taiwan into an AI island, he said, and this is the first time that AI applications have featured in an exhibition at the Presidential Office Building. President Lai then remarked on the rich variety of the exhibition content, and thanked the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Culture (MOC), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of Transportation and Communications, whose ministers or deputy ministers were also at the event, for their support. He also offered his gratitude to the staff of the General Association of Chinese Culture for their hard work and dedication, which successfully brought the all-new permanent exhibition to completion. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the president noted, the MOC has organized Super Taiwan Comics! The Flavors of Taiwan in Ink, a special exhibition that showcases the abundant and diverse creativity in Taiwan’s world of comics. In that world, he said, one can see a different perspective of Taiwan, which is equally admirable. The president, who would soon tour the exhibition with those present, pointed out that at the end of the exhibition there is a photo booth. He welcomed exhibition-goers to have pictures taken with images of him and the vice president and to share them with friends on Facebook or Instagram. In closing, President Lai again welcomed the people of Taiwan to visit the Together as One with Taiwan: The Ark of Democracy permanent exhibition. All the people of Taiwan, the president emphasized, have the right to visit the Presidential Office Building. He stated that we are all navigators of this Ark of Democracy, and that we will continue guiding the nation forward together with democracy and unity. Vice President Hsiao then delivered remarks, saying that she is very happy to be with President Lai at today’s “unboxing” of the Presidential Office Building’s permanent exhibition. From the inauguration on May 20 to today, she said, many of our fellow Taiwanese have been asking when they would be able to visit and take pictures at the Presidential Office Building again. She said she is sure that everyone is very much looking forward to visiting, as the building belongs to the whole body of citizens, just as President Lai had said, one that has its own history and bears the important vestiges of our continued pursuit of progress. Vice President Hsiao remarked that the exhibition is very diverse in content, spanning ecology, democracy, international affairs, technology, and civil movements. Moreover, she emphasized, it showcases Taiwan’s spirit of resilience. The exhibition also goes into the history of the Presidential Office Building and has displays of important laws and objects, she noted, adding that the public can visit and gain a deeper understanding of the historical context of the office as well as of the development of Taiwan through several eras. Vice President Hsiao pointed out that the “Ark of Democracy” of the title implies that we are all in the same boat. When our international friends visit, she said, they see that even though the island of Taiwan is small, it is home to a diversity of opinions and positions, and that our people are in the end able to find common ground and move forward together. She stated that because we are all in the same boat, we must work together. Noting that Taiwan’s industry landscape is very diverse, Vice President Hsiao said that this exhibition presents the historical context surrounding the development of our world-renowned high-tech industry. She also underscored how it showcases the people of various sectors and professions who have worked together so that the Taiwanese people can live in peace and happiness and the nation can become even greater. Vice President Hsiao said that Taiwan has a very diverse ecology. Even though this Ark is very small, when our international friends come here, she said, they notice that Taiwan has mountains, is surrounded by the ocean, and that getting from the coast to a mountain and back again can take as little as 20 to 30 minutes. She pointed out that this diverse ecology is also seen in our Ark of Democracy, which bears the nation’s beauty and its sorrow, as well as its people’s dreams and future. She said she is looking forward to “unboxing” the exhibition with President Lai and the ministry leaders moments from now, but that she is also looking forward to the people of Taiwan taking the time to walk through the Presidential Office Building and share in the glory of our history and Taiwan’s democracy.  Following their remarks, President Lai and Vice President Hsiao took a tour of the exhibits, “Welcome Aboard the Ark of Democracy,” “Presidents of the Republic of China (Taiwan),” “Ecological Treasure Island,” “The Invisible Backbone of Global Technology,” “Taiwan’s Vibrant Democracy, Moving Forward with the World,” “Become One with Us,” and “The Ark Sails Onward,” and the special exhibition of contemporary Taiwan comics, taking in the unique highlights of each area.

On the afternoon of February 17, President Tsai Ing-wen met with members of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) / Taiwan Philharmonic. In remarks, President Tsai thanked the NSO for transporting Taiwan's music and culture to so many places around the world, which has increased Taiwan's international visibility and inspired musical trends at home, encouraging more people to attend shows at concert halls. The president also expressed hope that even more people the world over may hear the voice of Taiwan. After President Tsai arrived, she enjoyed the NSO's live performance of Tao of Meinong, and then delivered remarks. A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows: Thank you for that beautiful performance just now. The work we just heard, Tao of Meinong, is a piece composed by Ms. Li Yuan-chen (李元貞) using elements of Hakka culture. Your rendition has added a new air of artistic charm to this century-old building. The NSO is launching its latest international tour in April. This will be the NSO's first overseas tour since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and since Mr. Märkl became its music director. In a new milestone, this is also the first time that the NSO has been invited to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in the United States. Afterward, the NSO will continue to show the world Taiwan's cultural prowess through performances in other cities in the United States and Japan on the theme of "From Formosa." In addition to the classical canon, the NSO will be presenting Taiwanese compositions, including Tao of Meinong, the piece we just listened to. Ms. Chen Ke-chia (陳可嘉) has also created a work titled Ebbs and Flows especially for this tour, allowing overseas music lovers to enjoy the premier of this Taiwanese composition. I am sure that a great many people are looking forward to it. I want to take this opportunity to thank the NSO for representing Taiwan over the past 30 years and for putting on such stunning performances in venue after venue around the world. This has not only increased Taiwan's international visibility but also inspired musical trends at home, encouraging more people to attend shows at concert halls. The NSO has also endeavored to nurture and discover more musical talent in the younger generation, frequently holding performances at schools and in rural areas. The seeds you have planted have extended their roots far and wide, giving people a richer and more diverse musical life. As Taiwan's national symphony orchestra, you have transported Taiwan's music and culture to so many places around the world. Let us continue to work together so that even more people may hear the voice of Taiwan. NSO Music Director Jun Märkl then delivered remarks, a transcript of which follows: Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to express my gratitude for today's invitation. I am honored to meet you and to show my admiration for Taiwan, a country which has welcomed me on many occasions. As a student, I had visited Taiwan already in 1979. I came here to visit the Palace Museum, and I was immediately enchanted by this wonderful island and its wonderful people. Since 2018, I have been working with the National Symphony Orchestra, first as a guest conductor, later then as Artistic Advisor, and finally in my present job as Music Director. And my excitement and my motivation to work for you has grown year by year. In the classical music world, Taiwan is a very good place: here is great enthusiasm for music to be found; a solid support by the government – thank you for this; there [are] some excellent concert venues and theaters in Taiwan; a high standard of orchestras and music education; and above all, we have an enormous potential of highly talented musicians. The insiders of classical music know all about this, but generally Taiwan is more a secret treasure, and I want this wonderful place to be more known, showing the high level of music life to the world. In order to create an inclusive concept for NSO's concert programming, I started to learn as much as I could about Taiwan – its history, culture, the nature, and the people. And I have already traveled to most parts of the island; I have met and made friends in different regions, from different ethnical heritage, professions, background, and age. And I came to the conclusion that one aspect that makes Taiwan so unique is the great diversity. I deeply feel that this is one of the strongest points of your country, and different from all neighbor Asian countries: this diversity is a pool of millions of different ideas, which are producing great flexibility, the chance to find solutions to any problem, a pool of creativity, and a permanent inspiration for visions into the future. Therefore, I am really happy to see that the government is supporting diversity so much. My contribution to this process is that, under the umbrella of the NSO, we are creating projects which will bring together people from different parts of Taiwan, with different cultural and personal background. We are encouraging them to contribute ideas and to participate in projects which could make our world better today and tomorrow. I trust that the creative power of music and arts to enhance an active communication within the society, and this is far beyond arts, reaching out to many disciplines – art going to economy, science, sports, environment, and many others fields. I'm also looking into the future and thinking about [what] Taiwan could look like in 10 years, 20 years, maybe even 50 years from today, and I am giving all my trust to the young generation: by supporting them. I am convinced that we can enable them to develop the capability to face the strong challenges and chances ahead of us and to master the task of building a better future. Our projects under the motto "the next generation" are dedicated to elevat[ing] the chances for a top-level artistic life in Taiwan. The young generation shall meet, learn how to work together, share their ideas, and develop new visions: our All Taiwan National Youth Symphony Orchestra—it's coming up, yes—is a melting pot of young talented people from all over Taiwan, not only musicians, but from every part of society. We are also inviting musicians from Japan and Singapore to this youth orchestra. And this will help our young talent to create a network for their future work and life, in Taiwan and internationally. This youth orchestra of outstanding quality, and nothing less is our aim, is also an ideal ambassador for Taiwan in the world. As Madam President kindly has mentioned, the National Symphony Orchestra will be touring to the United States in April, to Japan in May this year, and we are planning to go on tour to Europe next year. These tours will help to open doors, to find friends, and establish good relationships for the country of Taiwan—it's much more than just music. I am very grateful for the government's support, which is crucial for us to undertake these projects. Let me conclude with a personal note about what I have seen and learned during the years working here: I strongly believe in the great human potential of the people of Taiwan. My task is to help finding [sic] ways to further develop this potential by building bridges between people and by encouraging the young generation. This is something music and arts can do in a particular positive and successful way. And I am proud and very grateful that you, Madame President, the Ministers, and our guests, are giving me and the National Symphony Orchestra your strong and important support. Thank you very much.

President Tsai Ing-wen addressed the 2022 New York Mets Taiwan Day event via video, which was broadcast at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets baseball team, at around 1:20 p.m. on August 28 local time (1:20 a.m. on August 29 Taipei time). In the video, President Tsai introduced "Captain Taiwan" Peng Cheng-min (彭政閔), who threw out the game's first pitch, and thanked the United States for donating COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan, helping us overcome the pandemic and get back to baseball. A transcript of the president's remarks follows: It's wonderful to see you all again on this year's Mets Taiwan Day. I'm sure that baseball fans in Taiwan and the US are all enjoying being back at the ballpark, with life returning to normal as the pandemic subsides. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the United States for donating 4 million vaccine doses to Taiwan. Through such generosity, we were able to overcome the pandemic and get back to our beloved baseball games. Taiwan's professional baseball league has been going for 33 years now. Over the years, our teams have developed large fan bases as well as their own unique cheerleading squads and team cheers. I know that, due to the pandemic, many of the most highly anticipated baseball events have been postponed, including the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Baseball fans have been looking forward to this competition for a long time. Today, I want to introduce a Taiwanese baseball player who once represented us in the World Baseball Classic, Peng Cheng-min. But I just call him “Chia Chia.” He captained the national team in so many games that he is also known as “Captain Taiwan.” Chia Chia will be throwing out the first pitch at today's Mets Taiwan Day. Give it up for Chia Chia! Held almost every year since 2005, Mets Taiwan Day is the longest-running and largest Taiwan-themed event in any of the four major professional sports leagues in the US. This year's event featured an opening pitch by Peng Cheng-min, who is currently assistant manager of the CTBC Brothers team in Taiwan's professional baseball league, as well as a video shown on the stadium's giant scoreboard highlighting Taiwan's international cooperation to fight the pandemic.

President Tsai Ing-wen, accompanied by Vice President Chen Chien-jen, met with foreign clergy and representatives from Taiwan's Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference on the morning of October 31. She thanked the Catholic clergy members for their selfless contributions to Taiwan, and said that it is now Taiwan's turn to care for them. Approximately 170 senior Catholic clergy have received various special benefits, allowances, and long-term care services through our Mackay Program. The president then mentioned that our Nationality Act was amended in 2016, and welcomed senior clergy members who would like to become Taiwanese citizens to use that same channel to do so, and give Taiwan an opportunity to care for them. A translation of the president's remarks follows: Vice President Chen and I usually meet with visitors separately, but our friends from the Catholic Church visiting today are all very special guests, so he decided to join me and meet with you together. The religious spirit of universal love has always transcended geographic and national boundaries. You hail from many different countries around the world, but have chosen to spend the best years of your lives serving Taiwan. You have all put down deep roots throughout Taiwan society, including remote areas, to show concern for disadvantaged groups and lend your assistance. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to convey our deepest gratitude to all of you for your selfless contributions. Friends from the Catholic Church began arriving in Taiwan in the 19th century and have contributed in many ways. They founded schools, established hospitals, and operated many important social welfare organizations, helping Taiwanese society develop and progress. Father Yves Moal has spent decades serving in eastern Taiwan and can speak Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, Amis, and Bunun. He helps people from centers for the disabled to recycle resources and do handicraft work, helping the centers raise funds as the participants regain their self-confidence and self-respect. What he has done is truly remarkable. Sister Maryta Laumann, who hails from Germany, founded the Department of Textiles and Clothing at Fu Jen Catholic University, the first such department in Taiwan. To hone her professional qualifications, Sister Maryta completed three textile design degrees in the United States. As the first dean of the department, a position that she held for 14 years, she has played a key role in the development of Taiwan's textile industry. Father Jean-Claude Fournier is from Switzerland, and has worked with indigenous peoples to set up a savings cooperative, helping them use self-help and mutual assistance to improve their economic status. He has also raised donations in far-off Switzerland to support a kindergarten, making enormous contributions to early childhood education in remote areas. Sister Teresita Enriques from the Philippines established the first foundation in Taiwan for premature babies. She also helped set up a care center for people with physical and mental disabilities, as well as a care center for people who have senile dementia. Sister Teresita has played an important role in promoting dementia research in Taiwan, and localizing dementia care models. Since our time is limited, I cannot recount all of your wonderful achievements, but I do believe that the efforts of our Catholic friends in Taiwan are a precious chapter in the history of this land. You are a driving force that has continuously helped make a better Taiwan. In the past, it was you who cared for the people of Taiwan. Now, it is Taiwan's turn to care for you. Among the many senior members of the Catholic clergy in Taiwan, there are about 170 foreign nationals who have received various special benefits, allowances, and long-term care services under our Mackay Program. Many foreign clergy members who have served long stints in Taiwan now regard Taiwan as their homeland. I think it would be fair to say that you are "truly Taiwanese." We amended our Nationality Act in 2016 so that you could obtain ROC nationality without renouncing your original nationality. Those that I just mentioned—Father Yves Moal, Sister Maryta Laumann, Father Jean-Claude Fournier, and Sister Teresita Enriques—have already received their Taiwan national ID cards. If there are other senior clergy members who want to become Taiwanese citizens, we welcome them to go through the same channel, so that Taiwan can have an opportunity to care for them. Also present at the meeting were Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan (洪山川, President of the Chinese Regional Bishop's Conference) and Father Otfried Chan (陳科, Secretary General of the Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference).

Presidential Office Spokesperson Sidney Lin (林鶴明) conducted a press conference on April 3 to explain the stage design for the 2019 Presidential Office Concert, which is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on April 6 (Saturday) outside the Presidential Office Building on Ketagalan Boulevard. The event's organizer, the General Association of Chinese Culture, has based the stage design on the theme of "majestic rolling mountains," with Taiwan's diverse topography reflected in the three-part concert program. Spokesperson Lin stated that the sloping scenery flats to be placed before the stage will symbolize Taiwan's towering mountain peaks and the cloud banks that so often hover above them. The stage itself will feature a rolling design, rising gradually from one height to the next, seamlessly ramping up to the Presidential Office Building's entrance porch. The stage calls to mind the terraced rice paddies that Taiwan's farmers build to adapt to local growing conditions. At the same time, dancing lights will transform the mountainous scenery flats into ocean waves, while the stage and the main tower of the Presidential Office Building combine to form a ship in the eye of the observer—reminding us that the people of Taiwan are navigating their way bravely and confidently forward together. Another notable feature of the stage design, said Spokesperson Lin, is the use of nearly 150,000 concert-quality LED lights to create the broadest video screen in Taiwan. The brilliant LED lights fuse video and light with the classic beauty of the century-old Presidential Office Building, and this piece of architecture—which normally strikes the viewer with its solemnity—no longer feels cold and distant, instead taking on the friendly countenance of a place with tales to tell and warmth to share. Concert attendees will enjoy a feast both for the eyes and the ears. This year's Presidential Office Concert will be free and open to the public, and music lovers are encouraged to bring their family and friends to Ketagalan Boulevard to enjoy the event. Spokesperson Lin mentioned that since the stage incorporates the Presidential Office Building, which is a national historic site, it was designed with the utmost care. Qualified technical experts have been hired to perform a safety assessment and implement protective measures as required by law, to ensure that the historic building remains in good condition even as concert-goers appreciate its beauty.

In a recent interview via videoconference with The New York Times for its DealBook Summit, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Andrew Ross Sorkin on topics including Taiwan’s national defense, cross-strait relations, Taiwan-US relations, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the semiconductor industry. The interview was broadcast in the early morning of December 4. The DealBook Summit is a major annual event held by The New York Times aimed at facilitating dialogue among leaders from various sectors and sharing their insights and analyses on international affairs. This year’s summit was held on December 3 (US EST) in New York, and included such speakers as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, and Turning Point USA CEO and Chair of the Board Erika Kirk. The following is the full text of the interview: Q: Here’s where I want to start the conversation. You’ve just announced this past week that you’re introducing a US$40 billion special budget for military spending to buy more weapons from the US to try to deter China from invading Taiwan. What indicators, and perhaps new indicators, are you looking at that shows an increased threat to Taiwan? President Lai: We can see that China’s military drills targeted at Taiwan are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. They have even moved beyond the first island chain into the second, affecting the wider Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, China’s united front influence campaigns against Taiwan are also becoming more serious. In order to safeguard national security and fulfill our responsibility to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, we have announced this special defense budget. We believe that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. While we aspire to peace, we cannot harbor illusions about it. Peace must be secured through strength. This is why we are increasing our defense budget and strengthening our national defense capabilities, while also cutting back our economic dependence on China. This includes improving our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China; last year, that figure had dropped to around 7 percent. We are also working side-by-side with other democracies to reinforce deterrence. Robust preparations are the best way to avoid war and achieve peace. Q: Let me ask you this: President Xi has said that his goal for China’s military is to be capable of taking Taiwan by force by 2027. You said that Beijing is accelerating these preparations for an attempted invasion. So what do you think China’s timeline is now? President Lai: We must ensure the best possible preparations for the worst-case scenarios. Whatever timeline the PLA may have, Taiwan’s fundamental principle is that we must be ready first – this is our basic principle. I also want to use this opportunity to reiterate to the international community that Taiwan will do everything necessary to protect itself and to safeguard regional peace and stability. We are grateful to the international community, including the G7, the president of the United States, Japan’s political leaders, and many others for their interest in cross-strait peace and emphasizing that stability in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global security and prosperity. Their shared position greatly contributes to stability in Taiwan and peace in the region. We hope Taiwan can continue working with the international community to uphold the rules-based international order. Q: Well, let me ask you about that because, Mr. President, last week you said the relationship between Taiwan and the US is rock-solid. How confident are you that the United States, and in particular President Trump, would come to the aid of Taiwan if China were to invade? President Lai: Although Taiwan and the United States do not have official diplomatic relations, Taiwan is deeply grateful to the US Congress for passing the Taiwan Relations Act and to President Ronald Reagan for the Six Assurances. For decades, successive US administrations and both parties in Congress have strongly supported Taiwan based on this foundation. Our relationship truly is rock-solid. Since President Trump took office, cooperation with Taiwan has not only continued but even expanded. We look forward to working with the United States through tariff negotiations – not only to help address their trade deficit, but also to deepen bilateral economic relations and strengthen our friendship. Q: We’ve all been watching what’s been happening play out in Ukraine between Ukraine and Russia. And there have been questions inside Ukraine about the support that the United States has provided or not in terms of how this ultimately gets settled. How do you view what’s happening in Ukraine right now and the role that the US is playing there? President Lai: Taiwan stands with the people of Ukraine. We hope this irrational and illegitimate war will be over as soon as possible so that the Ukrainian people will no longer have to suffer. However, in ending this war, we also hope that Ukraine’s national dignity and the well-being of its people will be respected, and future conflict will be prevented. Q: You talked about trade earlier. When you talk about the relationship between the US and Taiwan, one of the reasons that Taiwan is so valuable, such a strategic asset – and President Trump talks about it this way about Taiwan – is because of semiconductors. And one of the things that he says is that he hopes that the US is going to be manufacturing 40 to 50 percent of all semiconductors in the next couple of years with your help. Does that make Taiwan more valuable ultimately to the US or do you worry at all that it makes it less valuable to the US? President Lai: Taiwan’s semiconductor industry plays a crucial role, especially as we enter the future AI era. But I want to emphasize, with humility, that Taiwan’s semiconductor sector is a global asset. The industry functions as an ecosystem: the US excels in R&D, design, and has the world’s largest market; Japan provides materials and equipment; the Netherlands makes advanced lithography systems; Taiwan specializes in logic chip manufacturing; and Korea leads in flash memory chips. In other words, semiconductors are a global ecosystem – it requires worldwide cooperation to be effective. This is why our government supports TSMC and other Taiwanese semiconductor firms as they invest in the US, Japan, Europe, or wherever they believe is needed. This contributes to global progress and prosperity. As a result, we remain supportive as President Trump seeks investments from Taiwanese semiconductor companies and suppliers in the US. We hope Taiwan can support the reindustrialization of the US. President Trump wants the US to become the world center for AI, and we are willing to assist in this. As I said earlier, we hope Taiwan-US tariff negotiations will not only help reduce the US trade deficit, but also deepen bilateral economic cooperation, further integrate Taiwan’s industries with the American economic structure, and strengthen the Taiwan-US relationship. This will contribute to global prosperity and development. Q: Do you think that President Trump’s timeline, this idea that 40 to 50 percent of all semiconductors could be manufactured in the United States in the next two or three years, is realistic? President Lai: We understand President Trump’s sense of urgency; he wants the United States to maintain an edge in global competition. Whether this target of 40 to 50 percent can be achieved within this timeframe depends not only on Taiwan’s support but also on the US government’s ability to facilitate land acquisition, water and electricity supply, workforce and talent development, and investment incentives. If the US government manages to do this well and effectively, then this goal becomes much more achievable. Q: There’s a big debate in the United States right now about whether companies like Nvidia should be allowed to sell their most advanced chips to China. And there has not been a real answer yet here in the US. I’m curious what you think about that. Do you think that the most advanced chips should be allowed to be exported to China? President Lai: As Taiwan’s president, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on US domestic policy. But I can share an experience: Around the year 2000, Taiwan faced a similar debate about whether our advanced chip manufacturing capabilities should move to mainland China. There was an extensive and thorough discussion across society and among different political parties. The consensus was that it would be unwise and should not happen. Looking back, that decision was correct. Had Taiwan allowed its most advanced manufacturing to relocate to China, Taiwan would not be what it is today. Q: Final question for you. Your economy is red hot right now, in large part because of the AI boom. It’s a two-part question. I wonder whether you’re worried about an AI boom being an AI bubble. And I’m also curious how you think about the Chinese economy today and how that relates to how President Xi even views Taiwan, and when and if it would consider either invading or, through using the gray zone, trying to effectively cut off or control Taiwan. President Lai: There are many different views in the tech and economic communities. Some say AI could become a bubble; others say it may not. As a political leader, I believe the AI era will bring greater convenience to people’s lives, stimulate economic development, and contribute to global prosperity. That is why we must take steps to prevent AI from becoming a bubble. In other words, leaders around the world – especially those from countries with AI-related industries – should work together and take necessary measures to ensure AI develops sustainably and has a soft landing, so that it can drive long-term global growth. China’s economy is indeed struggling. Taiwan’s growth rate this year is projected to reach 7.37 percent, while international financial institutions estimate China’s growth to be only a little above 4 percent. We sincerely hope that as China faces economic pressures, President Xi Jinping will focus not on territorial expansion but on improving the well-being of the Chinese people. Taiwan is willing to help and to cooperate in addressing these economic challenges.