To the central content area
:::
:::

News & activities

News releases

2021-03-30
President Tsai meets Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr.

On the afternoon of March 30, President Tsai Ing-wen met with Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. and First Lady Valerie Whipps at the Presidential Office in Taipei, and welcomed the forthcoming launch of the Taiwan-Palau travel bubble as a historic moment for cooperation between the two countries. President Tsai expressed confidence that the launch of the travel bubble would show the world that safe travel is possible during this stage of the pandemic, and said she looks forward to maintaining close bilateral ties in the post-pandemic era as Taiwan and Palau build a better future together.

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

I would like to extend a warm welcome to President Whipps, First Lady Whipps, and the delegation from Palau. This is President Whipps' first trip abroad since taking office, as well as the first time that Taiwan has received a foreign head of state since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Whipps, allow me to congratulate you once again on your election, and let me also note that this is a historic moment for cooperation between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Palau.

The day after tomorrow, April 1, will mark the opening of the Taiwan-Palau travel bubble. Amid the challenges posed by the pandemic, this model for a safe travel corridor is being closely watched not just by the people of our two countries, but by the entire world.

As you pointed out, President Whipps, it is Taiwanese travelers who are being given the exclusive opportunity to visit Palau. And we know that many people in Taiwan have been looking forward to visiting your country.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment to strengthening Taiwan-Palau ties. Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) told me how you led efforts to set up this travel bubble by personally chairing meetings to promote the plan and inviting officials from our Embassy in Palau to discuss planning.

We discussed arrangements for a travel bubble when we spoke via video call in January. I am very pleased that just two months later, we are here receiving you and your delegation in Taiwan.

Your itinerary in Taiwan has included a tourism promotion event as well as a number of exchanges with local businesses. These events help draw Taiwanese public attention to Palau and the beauty of your nation.

I understand that you have a specific goal—to increase the number of Taiwanese visiting Palau to 100,000 per year. I believe that with the launch of this travel bubble, we will make a big step toward that goal, while also showing the world that safe travel is possible during this stage of the pandemic.

I can personally recommend Palau as a tourist destination. I visited Palau not long ago, and was deeply impressed by its ocean views, traditional culture, and commitment to environmental protection. I strongly encourage Taiwanese to visit Palau, and look forward to going there again myself.

Of course, even as we promote tourism, we must remain on guard against the pandemic. Over the past year, our countries have been united in our work to combat the spread of COVID-19. Both the public and private sectors in Taiwan have donated medical resources to Palau, and a medical team from Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital has assisted Palau in maintaining its impressive record of zero confirmed cases.

From disease prevention to tourism, our cooperation highlights the long-standing mutual trust between our countries, on which we have built a reliable model for cooperation. Looking forward, I know that we will continue to enjoy further success in our exchanges in medicine, energy, education, maritime security, and Austronesian culture.

President Whipps, the gift I will present to you today is a symbol of that trust and cooperation—a traditional knife used by members of Taiwan's indigenous Paiwan tribe to share food and forge mutual bonds. It is my hope that in the post-pandemic era, Taiwan and Palau will enjoy even closer ties as we create a better future together.

In closing, let me once again welcome President Whipps, First Lady Whipps, and the members of the Palauan delegation to Taiwan. I wish you all a smooth and fruitful visit.

President Whipps then delivered the following remarks:

Madame President Tsai, members of the cabinet and distinguished guests: On behalf of our delegation, I would like to say thank you for the gracious hospitality that has been shown from when we stepped off the plane until now, and I am sure it will continue until we leave. We feel at home here, and we feel very honored and very privileged to be allowed to come into the country during this pandemic to begin what we have been working on for so long. I would like to say that your ambassador in Palau has been working very hard, along with Minister Wu and all of the members of your cabinet, to make sure that this is possible.

I would like to congratulate your government and the people of Taiwan for the success that you have in keeping your country COVID safe. I would say COVID free, because really most of the cases came from outside. So, we look at it as though we are the same.

We have been very fortunate in Palau to look up to you and follow the model that you have, and have had very strict quarantine requirements. To some extent people at home think they are a bit excessive, but it is the safety of the people that has always come first. And I think that goes to show the values that both our countries have––that people must come first. We have to take care of their lives, we have to keep them safe.

Opening up this sterile corridor is all about opening with care and being safe. We know that what we are doing will cause some inconvenience. It is not going to be exactly like travel before. However, we ask for people’s patience, because it is about safety. As we continue to move forward, that will only improve.

This also has to do with trust. I think most importantly having Minister Wu attend the inauguration ceremony helped build confidence in our people. Having the CDC (Taiwan Centers for Disease Control) team come to Palau and see what we have been doing in Palau helped build that confidence.

I hope that our visit here also helps the people here build their confidence that Palau is truly COVID free, and they can see that it will be just like travelling between Kaohsiung and Taipei. That should be our ultimate goal.

We have been very fortunate. What has also helped us in Palau is our partnership with the United States. The US has been able to put us on their vaccine distribution list, so beginning in January, shortly before we talked, I got my first shot and then got my second shot right after the inauguration. So, as of the time we left, 50 percent of the people in Palau had already received their first shot. We hope in the next couple weeks, 50 percent will have already received their second shot. We are well on our way toward herd immunity, and I think that is also what is giving the people in Palau the confidence to welcome the people of Taiwan, even though we are COVID free.

In the past few weeks, a team from the US has helped us with analysis. And President Tsai, I would like to share one of the statistics from that analysis: if we have this travel corridor with Taiwan, the chance of one COVID-19 case coming from Taiwan to Palau is one in four million. So, that is a very low chance of getting COVID-19. And that is because of what you have done here and demonstrated to the world. By having this corridor we can demonstrate to the world how two COVID safe and COVID free countries can work together and increase people-to-people exchanges.

Most importantly for Palau, we have gotten a shot in our arm with the vaccine; by allowing the tourists to come in, you give us a shot in the arm for our economy. That is very important because, as you know, many of our people are out of work because we depend on tourism.

Secondly, and probably more important than that, by allowing regular flights to Palau, we will be able to bring patients to Taiwan. Thank you for allowing us to continue these charter flights and helping us get ready for them. Through the charter flights, we have been sending patients to Taiwan, but in limited numbers, because they are stuck here for a month waiting for the next flight. It is heartbreaking when the people on the committee have to decide who goes and who does not go. By allowing regular flights, people that need critical care can come. In fact, over the past ten years, since we have had this medical program, over 3,000 patients have come for treatment in Taiwan, and this is an important part of our care for our people. So opening up this travel corridor helps us take care of our people and save and extend the lives of those that are very much in need of medical treatment.

Madame President, I would also like to say that this past year has taught us a lot. In particular, I would like to talk about ways that we have innovated to try combat the virus. It was with the help of Taiwan that we got our first PCR machines, and have been able to test and make sure that nobody has the virus. But before that, we had to get the infectious control box shipped to Palau. And there was no way to get it because it was too heavy for aircraft, so it had to be shipped on a fishing boat. But it got there, and that is the amazing part of this story.

Opening up this travel corridor, we had some questions of how exactly we are going to do it. And at the very last hour, we asked if we could request PCR testing at the airport before the passengers board the plane. Thank you for allowing us to do that. I think that raises confidence, because although we can do testing in Palau, we trust you to do it here, and if there is a case, the plane coming to Palau will be sterile. There is no chance of anything coming into Palau. So, we appreciate those challenges that we have had and how we have worked together to solve them. We will continue growing and expanding this special relationship we have.

Our relationship has continued for a long time. It actually began before our country became independent by having your agricultural mission in Palau help us develop our agriculture sector. Furthermore, you have continued with this. And from when we signed our diplomatic relationship 22 years ago until now, you have helped us with infrastructure development, education, healthcare and more importantly, brought our cultures closer together to realize that what we share as Austronesian countries are the same values of freedom and democracy. But at the same time, we also share the importance we place on our environment and our culture, and that we need to protect it and take care of it for generations to come.

When we talked in January, I was very excited that we could get the travel bubble going and I am so excited that it is finally happening. We believe it is time, and this special travel corridor can only strengthen the relationship we have and enhance it, and further bring our peoples closer together. And the good news I just heard is that the first flight is already full, and I hope every flight after that is full. Maybe we need to increase our cap of 110 passengers. We also need to increase the number of airlines and flights coming into Palau, because hopefully now we have so many people who want to come that we need to make sure our doors are open and ready to accept them.

So I want to welcome all of the people from Taiwan to come and visit, and enjoy time under the sea and above the sea, and enjoy our culture and have fun, because Palau should be about having fun. I especially look forward to your visit, Madame President, in the near future, because as we discussed, I hope that you will be coming soon.

In January I received the vaccine to show my people in Palau that it is safe. We should move forward. We got on the first flight to Taiwan to prove to our people back home that Taiwan is safe. So thank you again, and we look forward to receiving all of you as guests in our country.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Palau Senate Vice President Kerai Mariur, House of Delegates Health, Social and Cultural Affairs Committee Chairwoman Vicky Ngiratkakl-Kanai, Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mason Whipps, and Ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) Dilmei Louisa Olkeriil.

Related News
Details
2025-08-01
President Lai meets delegation from US Foundation for Defense of Democracies
On the afternoon of August 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the United States-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). In remarks, President Lai stated that as authoritarianism expands, only by working closely together can the global democratic community protect our shared values of freedom and democracy and way of life. The president said that deepening the strategic economic and trade partnerships between Taiwan and the US will not only help strengthen our cooperation with other like-minded partners in key and innovative technologies, but also ensure supply chain security, which is consistent with the national security interests of Taiwan, the US, and all of our democratic partners. President Lai also expressed hope that further Taiwan-US exchanges and cooperation will enable us to continue to deepen and consolidate democracy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a warm welcome to this delegation from the FDD. It is a great pleasure to meet with so many dear friends of Taiwan again. The FDD holds a key position among think tanks based in Washington, DC. In addition to conducting research on issues relating to US national security, it also frequently issues policy recommendations and specialist reports that help actively realize its goal of safeguarding democratic values from authoritarian threats. I would like to express my appreciation to the FDD for its long-term focus on Taiwan and for continuing to increase the attention paid to Taiwan’s defense and social resilience. I also hope that the experts and scholars in this delegation can provide Taiwan with optimal insights into these issues. In recent years, China has continued to ramp up military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait and East and South China Seas. The expansion of authoritarianism is not only altering the global security framework, but also challenging the rules-based international order in an unprecedented way. Only by working closely together and adopting appropriate countermeasures can the global democratic community protect our shared values of freedom and democracy and our way of life that values human rights. In addition to demonstrating the determination to defend itself, Taiwan will also fulfill its important responsibilities as a member of the international community. Taiwan will continue to strengthen its national defense, build economic security, demonstrate stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and promote values-based diplomacy to enhance cooperation with democracies around the world. Together, we can safeguard regional peace and stability and advance global prosperity and development. The world has seen the crucial role that Taiwan plays in technological supply chains. In addition to the semiconductor industry, Taiwan can also strengthen cooperation with the US in other key technological fields, including national defense technologies and AI. Deepening the strategic economic and trade partnerships between Taiwan and the US will not only help strengthen our cooperation with other like-minded partners in key and innovative technologies, but also ensure supply chain security. This is consistent with the national security interests of Taiwan, the US, and all of our democratic partners. Taiwan greatly cherishes our deep friendships with all, and we look forward to further Taiwan-US exchanges and cooperation enabling us to continue to deepen and consolidate democracy. Former US Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger then delivered remarks, indicating that on this visit, the delegation is working together with the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology and others across Taiwan’s society, as well as with guests from Japan, Australia, and Europe, who joined them this week to conduct tabletop exercises. He added that they carried out work to test their assumptions about various scenarios that could occur if there are attempts made to intimidate or coerce Taiwan and other free societies. Mr. Pottinger said that he and his colleagues were impressed with the Taiwan team that participated in the tabletop exercises for their creativity and resourcefulness, which he said gives him great confidence that Taiwan and its friends will be able to deter or respond to any intimidation or crisis. Mr. Pottinger then stated in Mandarin that free nations are innovative, resource-efficient, and resilient under the threat of authoritarian states, and that free nations also have trustworthy friends. He concluded his remarks by thanking President Lai for meeting with the delegation, saying that they look forward to their discussion.
Details
2025-08-01
President Lai delivers remarks on US reciprocal tariff policy response
On the morning of August 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered remarks at the Presidential Office on the response to the reciprocal tariff policy of the United States. President Lai explained that technical consultations with the US are finished, but as the final concluding meeting has not yet taken place, 20 percent has been set for Taiwan as an interim tariff rate. The president said that Taiwan will work towards a more favorable and reasonable rate in the subsequent negotiations, and that the US has expressed its willingness to continue talks. He added that a support plan for Taiwan’s export supply chain in response to US tariffs has been proposed to assist small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in responding to the US tariff policy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Earlier today, the US government informed our lead negotiator, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), that an interim tariff rate for Taiwan has been set at 20 percent. Since April 2, when the US introduced its new tariff policy targeting countries worldwide, Taiwan has actively engaged in four in-person rounds of negotiation and multiple discussions over videoconference with the US government. Throughout the process, both sides have negotiated in good faith based on the shared goal of addressing the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US and creating complementary and mutually beneficial outcomes. Although we have achieved an interim reduction in the tariff rate from 32 percent to 20 percent at this point in the negotiations, 20 percent was never our goal. We hope to work towards a more favorable and reasonable rate for Taiwan in the subsequent negotiations, and the US has expressed its willingness to continue talks. We have finished technical consultations, but as the final concluding meeting has not yet taken place, a final tariff rate has not yet been reached. This is the reason for the setting of an interim tariff rate. I extend my sincere gratitude to Vice Premier Cheng and Minister without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) for working tirelessly over the past few months leading the negotiation team, remaining on call whether in Taiwan or the US. From here in Taiwan I, along with Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), and Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安), have also provided full support to our negotiating team in the US. Regardless of the final tariff rate, Taiwan’s industries will inevitably be impacted. I am deeply grateful to Premier Cho for proposing on April 4 a support plan for Taiwan’s export supply chain in response to US tariffs, and for holding over 20 industry consultation sessions. The special budget has also been increased from NT$88 billion to NT$93 billion. This special act has already been submitted to the Legislative Yuan and passed review. I hope that the Executive Yuan will promptly submit the budget request for legislative review so that the special budget can be implemented as soon as possible to assist SMEs in responding to this new US tariff policy.
Details
2025-07-29
President Lai meets delegation from US National Endowment for Democracy
On the afternoon of July 29, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the United States-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED). In remarks, President Lai said that faced with the continued expansion of authoritarianism, Taiwan will increase its self-defense capabilities and civil defense awareness. The president stated that Taiwan will also deepen security and economic cooperation with democratic partners to jointly build secure and stable supply chains and advance our nations’ democratic resilience. The president expressed hope that with the support of the NED, Taiwan will continue to join hands and move forward with the global democratic community as we consolidate democratic values and advance prosperity and development in the region and across the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome NED President Damon Wilson on this visit. We last met two years ago when President Wilson made a special visit to Taiwan to attend an international conference celebrating the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD)’s 20th anniversary. This is his fourth visit to Taiwan since assuming his current position, once again demonstrating the great importance he attaches to Taiwan’s democracy and underscoring his staunch support for Taiwan-US relations. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I express my sincerest appreciation. The NED has long worked closely with civic organizations in Taiwan. In recent years, it has actively assisted civil society groups in engaging with the international community and establishing partnerships with NGOs around the world so as to further highlight Taiwan’s key role in the global democratic network. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index ranks Taiwan first in Asia as a full democracy, while Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report ranks Taiwan as the second freest country in Asia. These achievements are the result of the joint efforts of the people of Taiwan and the support of nations around the world for Taiwan’s efforts. Taiwan is doing all it can to make even greater contributions to global democratic development. Among these efforts, the TFD continues to work closely with the NED to promote democratic development across the region. Taiwan also collaborates and shares experiences with such like-minded partners as the US, Japan, Australia, and Canada through the Global Cooperation and Training Framework to jointly strengthen democratic governance and social resilience. As President Wilson emphasized on his last visit, Taiwan’s robust democracy and its security are closely related. Faced with the continued expansion of authoritarianism, we will increase our self-defense capabilities and civil defense awareness. We will also deepen security and economic cooperation with democratic partners. Together, we can build secure and stable supply chains, prevent infiltration by authoritarian regimes, and advance our nations’ democratic resilience. With the support of President Wilson and the NED, I look forward to Taiwan continuing to join hands and move forward with the global democratic community as we consolidate democratic values and advance prosperity and development in the region and across the world. President Wilson then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for welcoming him and stating that it is an honor to be in the Republic of China (Taiwan), which is on the frontline of freedom around the world. He said that the delegation is here to pay respect to the hard-won freedom of the Taiwanese people, the fundamental rights that they enjoy, the vibrant democracy seen across this island, the power of the rule of law, and the fact that Taiwan models how sovereignty is based on the free will of its citizens and people. It is not only a testament to the strength and resilience of Taiwan’s democracy, but an extraordinary example to the region and to the world, he said, and they are proud to play a role in supporting and encouraging others to help Taiwan safeguard these freedoms. President Wilson indicated that the NED is America’s foundation for freedom, and that they are here to represent the American people to build and deepen the civic ties between Americans and the people of Taiwan, working in a partnership with the TFD spanning over two decades. He said that Taiwan boldly embraces the values of freedom and democracy, and by doing so, has attracted the admiration and attention of the world. Citing President Lai, President Wilson echoed that the strength of Taiwan’s democracy bolsters its national security, adding that it also invests the US in its security. This is why they are committed to doing their part to help contribute to safeguarding Taiwan’s democracy, he said.  President Wilson noted that when he began his role as president of the NED, he worked with the TFD to welcome 300 democracy advocates from 70 countries around the world as part of the World Movement for Democracy Global Assembly to come and see the vibrancy of Taiwan’s democracy and to understand that their commitment to democracy and freedom meant that their support for Taiwan was an important part of that. President Wilson stated that the delegation is in Taiwan because they look forward to doubling down on their engagement with the people of Taiwan and the cause of democratic unity. He added that they are focused on building partnerships in four key areas and ensuring that they can include Taiwanese organizations and voices in international conversations about the future of democracy and the principles of freedom around the world, including Taiwanese voices in international platforms that may otherwise be denied to them. President Wilson said that they look forward to continuing to support international organizations, particularly American institutions such as the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, to open offices in Taiwan to thicken the bonds between our peoples. President Wilson said that they also look forward to supporting Taiwanese organizations that are able to help educate the world to understand influence operations and the authoritarian pressures that Taiwan not only faces, but free societies around the world face. This also includes partnering with Taiwanese organizations and entrepreneurs that are leveraging technology for democracy and freedom and ensuring that artificial intelligence can be used for good, he said, so that the stories of Taiwan or Tibet are not erased or censored, but are open to public knowledge. President Wilson concluded his remarks by stating that this is indeed his fourth visit as president of the NED and that he has visited Taiwan more than any other country in the world, a testament to their commitment to Taiwan’s freedom.
Details
2025-07-24
President Lai meets Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adam  
On the morning of July 24, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Republic of Somaliland Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdirahman Dahir Adam. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Somaliland government for its longstanding, staunch support for Taiwan-Somaliland relations. The president mentioned that this year marks the fifth anniversary of Taiwan and Somaliland’s mutual establishment of representative offices and that our exchanges in various areas have yielded significant results. He expressed hope for continuing to deepen our partnership, advancing our bilateral friendship and fruitful cooperation. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome all of our guests to Taiwan. This is the first visit to Taiwan for Minister Adam, Minister Khadir Hussein Abdi, and Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye. I thank you for your high regard and support for Taiwan. I also very much appreciate that Lead Advisor Mohamed Omar Hagi Mohamoud, who served as representative of Somaliland to Taiwan during the past five years, continues deepening Taiwan-Somaliland ties in his new role. Somaliland is renowned as a beacon of democracy in the Horn of Africa. I want to once again congratulate Somaliland on successfully holding presidential and political party elections last November, which garnered praise from the international community. At that time, I appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs François Chihchung Wu (吳志中) to serve as special envoy and lead a delegation to attend the inauguration of President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, demonstrating that Taiwan would work closely with Somaliland’s new government to write a new chapter in our friendship. Recently, authoritarian regimes have continued to apply new forms of coercion as they intensify suppression of Taiwan’s and Somaliland’s international participation. In response, our two sides must continue to deepen our partnership and demonstrate the resilience of democratic alliances, as well as our staunch commitment to defending our values.  This year marks the fifth anniversary of Taiwan and Somaliland’s mutual establishment of representative offices. Through our joint efforts, we have continued to expand exchanges in various areas, yielding significant results. This afternoon, we will also sign an agreement on coast guard cooperation, launching bilateral cooperation in maritime affairs. Regarding President Abdullahi’s focus on maritime security, the blue economy, and other policy objectives, we can strengthen our bilateral partnership moving forward. In addition, we also hope to work together with like-minded countries such as the United States, and through trilateral or multilateral cooperation platforms, realize the strategic goal of a non-red Somaliland coastline. I want to thank the Somaliland government once more for its longstanding, staunch support for Taiwan-Somaliland relations. I look forward to working with all of you to continue to advance our bilateral friendship and fruitful cooperation. In closing, I once again welcome Minister Adam and the delegation. I have every confidence that, in addition to advancing bilateral cooperation, this trip will allow you to experience Taiwan’s natural beauty and diverse culture. Minister Adam then delivered remarks, thanking the government and people of Taiwan for the warm hospitality they have received since their arrival. He stated that Taiwan is a peaceful nation and that it shares with Somaliland the value of democracy. He stated that we also share the goal of obtaining recognition, so he is glad that the Taiwan-Somaliland relationship is growing by the day. Minister Adam pointed out that there is much pressure that we are both facing in our relationship, but he reassured President Lai that no amount of pressure can change Somaliland’s strong ties with Taiwan. He also thanked the Taiwan government for the help it has proffered to Somaliland, adding that our relationship will only get better. Minister Adam said that Taiwan and Somaliland can cooperate in many areas and that there is more opportunity in Somaliland than any other country, adding that Somaliland is open for investment from Taiwan. Noting that our countries can also collaborate in other areas such as education and maritime security, the minister said that he is glad they will be signing a cooperative agreement in maritime security with Taiwan. He then said he is looking forward to a better relationship in the future. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Somaliland Representative to Taiwan Mahmoud Adam Jama Galaal.  
Details
2025-07-22
President Lai meets cross-party Irish Oireachtas delegation
On the morning of July 22, President Lai Ching-te met with a cross-party delegation from the Oireachtas (parliament) of Ireland. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan and Ireland are both guardians of the values of freedom and democracy. He indicated that Taiwan will continue to take action and show the world that it is a trustworthy democratic partner that can contribute to the international community, saying that we look forward to building an even closer partnership with Ireland as we work together for the well-being of our peoples and for global democracy, peace, and prosperity. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Deputy Speaker John McGuinness is a dear friend of Taiwan who also chairs the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association. Thanks to his efforts over the years, support for Taiwan has grown stronger in the Oireachtas. I thank him and all of our guests for traveling such a long way to demonstrate support for Taiwan and open more doors for exchanges and cooperation. Europe is Taiwan’s third largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment. Ireland is a European stronghold for technology and innovative industries. Just like Taiwan, Ireland is an export-oriented economy. Our industrial structures are highly complementary. We hope that Taiwan’s electronics manufacturing and machinery industries can explore deeper cooperation with Ireland’s ICT software and biopharmaceutical fields, creating win-win outcomes. In May, the Irish government launched its National Semiconductor Strategy, outlining a vision to become a global semiconductor hub. Taiwan is home to the world’s most critical semiconductor ecosystem, and our own industrial development closely parallels that of Ireland. Moreover, we aspire to build non-red technological supply chains with democratic partners. I believe that going forward, Taiwan and Ireland can bolster collaboration so as to upgrade the competitiveness of our respective semiconductor industries. Together, we can help build a values-based economic system for democracies. I was delighted to receive congratulations from Deputy Speaker McGuinness on my election. Taiwan and Ireland are both guardians of the values of freedom and democracy. This visit from our guests further attests to our common beliefs. As authoritarianism continues to expand, Taiwan will continue to take action and show the world that it is a trustworthy democratic partner that can contribute to the international community. We look forward to building an even closer partnership with Ireland as we work together for the well-being of our peoples and for global democracy, peace, and prosperity. Deputy Speaker McGuinness then delivered remarks, stating that he has been to Taiwan on many occasions and that it is a great honor to join President Lai and his staff at the Presidential Office. He said that Ireland has continued to build its strong relationship with Taiwan based on our democratic values and the interests that we have in trade throughout the world, strengthening this relationship based on culture, education, and more. Noting that he served with many other diplomats from Taiwan, he said all had the same goal, which was to further the interests of the Ireland-Taiwan friendship and to ensure that it grows and prospers. The deputy speaker then extended to President Lai the delegation’s best wishes for his term in office, stating that they commit to the same values as the previous friendship groups that have been visiting Taiwan. He went on to say that some members of the group are newly elected, representing the next generation of the association, and that they are committed to working together with Taiwan to stand strong in the defense of democracy. Deputy Speaker McGuinness also noted that the father of Deputy Ken O’Flynn, one of the delegation members, played an important role as a former chairman of the association, remarking that it is good to see such continuity taking place. Deputy Speaker McGuiness said that he believes the world is facing huge challenges and uncertainty in terms of our markets and trade with one another. He said we have to watch for what the United States will do next and be conscious of what China is doing, emphasizing that the European Union stands strong in the center of this, while Ireland plays a huge role in the context of democracy, trade, and the betterment of all things for the citizens that they represent. The deputy speaker then stated that while we focus on the development of AI that is extremely important for all of us, we can work together to ensure that we control AI rather than AI controlling us. He also remarked that we cannot lose sight of our traditional trading means, saying that we have to keep all of our trade together, expand on that trade, and then take on the new technologies that come before us. Deputy Speaker McGuinness concluded his remarks by thanking President Lai for receiving the delegation, stating that they commit to their continuation of support for Taiwan and for democracy. Also in attendance were Deputies Malcolm Byrne and Barry Ward, and Senator Teresa Costello.
Details
2025-08-01
President Lai delivers remarks on US reciprocal tariff policy response
On the morning of August 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered remarks at the Presidential Office on the response to the reciprocal tariff policy of the United States. President Lai explained that technical consultations with the US are finished, but as the final concluding meeting has not yet taken place, 20 percent has been set for Taiwan as an interim tariff rate. The president said that Taiwan will work towards a more favorable and reasonable rate in the subsequent negotiations, and that the US has expressed its willingness to continue talks. He added that a support plan for Taiwan’s export supply chain in response to US tariffs has been proposed to assist small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in responding to the US tariff policy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Earlier today, the US government informed our lead negotiator, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), that an interim tariff rate for Taiwan has been set at 20 percent. Since April 2, when the US introduced its new tariff policy targeting countries worldwide, Taiwan has actively engaged in four in-person rounds of negotiation and multiple discussions over videoconference with the US government. Throughout the process, both sides have negotiated in good faith based on the shared goal of addressing the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US and creating complementary and mutually beneficial outcomes. Although we have achieved an interim reduction in the tariff rate from 32 percent to 20 percent at this point in the negotiations, 20 percent was never our goal. We hope to work towards a more favorable and reasonable rate for Taiwan in the subsequent negotiations, and the US has expressed its willingness to continue talks. We have finished technical consultations, but as the final concluding meeting has not yet taken place, a final tariff rate has not yet been reached. This is the reason for the setting of an interim tariff rate. I extend my sincere gratitude to Vice Premier Cheng and Minister without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan Yang Jen-ni (楊珍妮) for working tirelessly over the past few months leading the negotiation team, remaining on call whether in Taiwan or the US. From here in Taiwan I, along with Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), and Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安), have also provided full support to our negotiating team in the US. Regardless of the final tariff rate, Taiwan’s industries will inevitably be impacted. I am deeply grateful to Premier Cho for proposing on April 4 a support plan for Taiwan’s export supply chain in response to US tariffs, and for holding over 20 industry consultation sessions. The special budget has also been increased from NT$88 billion to NT$93 billion. This special act has already been submitted to the Legislative Yuan and passed review. I hope that the Executive Yuan will promptly submit the budget request for legislative review so that the special budget can be implemented as soon as possible to assist SMEs in responding to this new US tariff policy.
Go Top