Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of June 3, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by International Peace Foundation (IPF) Founder and Chairman Uwe Morawetz. In remarks, President Lai thanked the IPF for coming to Taiwan to promote the Taiwan BRIDGES event series with National Taiwan University (NTU), and advance educational exchanges and global peace together. The president said he is confident the program will not only benefit Taiwan’s scholars, but also deepen our international connections and enhance our global reach. He also expressed hope that Chairman Morawetz will gain an even deeper understanding of Taiwan through this visit, and said he looks forward to seeing even more international exchanges and cooperation in the future. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome Chairman Morawetz back to Taiwan. Chairman Morawetz is visiting to promote the Taiwan BRIDGES event series with NTU President Chen Wen-chang (陳文章). Last month, in my inaugural address, I stated that Taiwan would be a pilot for global peace. Today, I am pleased to meet and exchange ideas with Chairman Morawetz and all our distinguished guests. The IPF believes that education serves as the foundation of peace. It has worked with universities to establish advanced courses and research that can assist governments, the European Union, and the United Nations in opening up peace dialogue. The IPF has also organized the event series BRIDGES – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace, holding over 800 events across Southeast Asia since 2003. By bringing together Nobel laureates and renowned artists, the series has achieved remarkable results in fostering academic cooperation and cultural exchange. I want to thank the IPF for choosing to come to Taiwan so that we can advance educational exchanges and global peace together. The Taiwan BRIDGES event series is expected to begin next year, and six Nobel laureates in physics, medicine, chemistry, and economics will be invited to visit Taiwan. I am confident this program will not only benefit Taiwan’s scholars, but also deepen our international connections and enhance our global reach. Taiwan, with its geopolitically strategic location, is an important democracy in the Indo-Pacific region. On this occasion, I want to express my special thanks to President Chen for his efforts in nurturing talent for the nation. For instance, last month, NTU inaugurated the International School of Politics and Economics with the aim to cultivate leaders in Taiwan with a global political and economic vision. Additionally, LITEON Technology Founder and LITEON Group Chairman Raymond Soong (宋恭源) made a donation to NTU in August last year to establish an interdisciplinary top research exchange platform, which has facilitated collaboration between President Chen and Chairman Morawetz. I am grateful for Chairman Soong’s contributions. I am also pleased to welcome Tzu Chi Charity Foundation CEO Yen Po-wen (顏博文) and Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps Senior Volunteer Doctor Lin Shih-han (林士涵) to the Presidential Office today. We have all witnessed over many years that whenever a disaster strikes Taiwan, Tzu Chi volunteers quickly provide relief, supporting those affected. After the April 3 earthquake this year, Tzu Chi set up response centers and shelters to assist the victims. The Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps has long provided medical and material assistance in remote and underserved areas. To date, it has set up free clinics in 50 countries and regions on more than 400 occasions. Such work is very admirable. The public welfare organizations represented by these two distinguished guests exemplify the goodwill of Taiwan and align with the ideals of the IPF. I look forward to seeing even more international exchanges and cooperation in the future. In closing, I hope that Chairman Morawetz will gain an even deeper understanding of Taiwan through this visit. I also wish the IPF and NTU great success in their collaboration. Chairman Morawetz then delivered remarks, saying that in October last year, he visited Taiwan and met with Professor Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), a Nobel laureate who has participated in BRIDGES events in Thailand and suggested having BRIDGES in Taiwan in the future. Through Professor Lee, the chairman said, they were introduced to NTU, who will be the main partner in the BRIDGES event series in Taiwan. Chairman Morawetz said that the BRIDGES event series will run from November 2025 until April 2026, and that they will have many Nobel laureates visiting Taiwan. The aim, he said, is to promote Taiwan as an international hub for science, technology, sustainability, and innovation. The chairman also said they would like to further elevate Taiwan on the international map with a forward-looking program on education. With the participation of the science Nobel laureates, the brightest minds of the world, he said, BRIDGES wants to highlight Taiwan’s important role for peacebuilding, international cooperation, and global security.  As the program is called BRIDGES, the chairman went on, they want to build long-term bridges between the Nobel laureates and Taiwan. He said that although the laureates will come to Taiwan for the first time, they can develop long-term relationships with institutions and universities, come to Taiwan more often, invite Taiwanese students to work in their labs abroad, or start research programs with universities. He said the program should be a long-term and sustainable success for Taiwan, and not just an event series.  Chairman Morawetz indicated that six Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, medicine, and economics have already been confirmed to be hosted by NTU. He said he will also be going to Tainan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and other places because BRIDGES would like to include universities in other parts of Taiwan, involving the whole country in the program. It should be of benefit not only for the capital, he added, but for the whole country. Chairman Morawetz stated that now there is still more than one year to prepare for the program, and BRIDGES wants to be as inclusive as possible to benefit as many institutions and organizations as possible. He said they want to build long-term relationships with as many foundations and charitable organizations as possible, so that not only one organization, but the whole country, benefits from the events.  

On the afternoon of July 8, President Tsai Ing-wen attended a ceremony marking the end of the Taiwan-based study for exchange students enrolled in Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University (UPTP). In remarks at the event, President Tsai called UPTP a cornerstone of bilateral educational cooperation spurring broader exchanges between our two countries, which share the goal of making it the best polytechnic university in Latin America. The president expressed hope that, as Taiwan looks to expand its cooperation with Paraguay, UPTP students can use their knowledge and experience to act as a bridge between our two countries and help us all work toward a better tomorrow. A transcript of the president's remarks is provided below: I would first like to congratulate all the students on completing your study in Taiwan. I also want to thank all the faculty members for your hard work and dedication. I am so delighted to have Ambassador Fleitas here with us today to mark this important milestone in Taiwan-Paraguay cooperation. When I visited Paraguay in 2018, I had the privilege of attending the opening ceremony for the pre-university courses at UPTP. Some of those who took these courses back then are soon to graduate in about six months' time. I am glad to see you again in Taiwan. And I want to thank National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST, Taiwan Tech) and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs for helping facilitate the UPTP program. I know the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for many of you to come to Taiwan to study. But I hope that you enjoyed your three semesters of study at Taiwan Tech, having had a chance to get to know Taiwan while sharing your culture with your fellow students here. With your contributions, I am sure the internationally diverse campus of Taiwan Tech has become a culturally much richer place. As a cornerstone of Taiwan-Paraguay educational cooperation, UPTP is spurring broader exchanges between our two countries. Our shared goal for UPTP is to make it the best polytechnic university in Latin America, and I am truly grateful to the staff of Taiwan Tech for all you have done toward this goal. Over the past five years, many scholars and administrators have worked to turn UPTP into a model for Taiwan's international education cooperation projects, sharing our knowledge and expertise in science and technology with friends around the world. Education has been at the root of Taiwan's national development. By cultivating outstanding talent in science and technology, Taiwan and Paraguay are sowing the seeds of future growth, prosperity, and friendship. And there is nothing more satisfying than seeing young talent like you thrive. In just six months, you will graduate and embark on an exciting new chapter of your careers. I am confident that your education at UPTP will empower you to contribute to the development of Paraguay and the welfare of your fellow people. As we in Taiwan look to expand our cooperation with Paraguay, I am hopeful that you, as future UPTP graduates, can play a key part in this effort. With your knowledge and experience, you can act as a bridge to help us all work toward a better tomorrow. Going forward, Taiwan will continue to strengthen collaboration with all our democratic partners. We look forward to working together with all of you in the months and years to come.

On the evening of October 16, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the opening ceremony of the 2021 National Games. In remarks, President Tsai emphasized that over the past few years, the government has devoted significant effort to develop sports in Taiwan, increasing the Sports Administration budget year on year while putting forward the Gold Plan to provide athletes with customized training regimens. The president said that these efforts yielded excellent results at this year's Tokyo Olympics, and that the valuable experience gained will be passed down to help our athletes keep excelling on the world stage. President Tsai kicked off her remarks by welcoming the outstanding athletes from across Taiwan who had gathered to compete at the highest level. Knowing that the competitors had long prepared for this moment, she encouraged them to perform to the very best of their abilities in the pursuit of glory. President Tsai also noted that this has been a breakout year for sports in Taiwan, as the world-class skill and determination of our athletes brought unprecedented success at the Tokyo Olympics. President Tsai also noted that many of the athletes participating in the National Games have become household names thanks to their performances at the Tokyo Olympics, and were ready to rise to the challenge of facing the stars of the future. Competing with other top athletes from around Taiwan will help everyone improve and transcend their own limits, she said, which will surely make this year's National Games a truly memorable occasion. President Tsai stated that Taiwan's wealth of outstanding athletes is a testament to the effectiveness of our sports development programs, and that their success is the direct result of the years of hard work these athletes and their coaches have put in.  President Tsai also emphasized that over the past few years, the government has devoted considerable effort to sports development, including by increasing the Sports Administration budget year on year, constructing new sports facilities, upgrading existing venues and facilities, and putting forward our Gold Plan to provide athletes with customized training regimens. President Tsai went on to say that these efforts yielded excellent results at this year's Tokyo Olympics, and that this valuable experience will be passed down to help our athletes keep shining on the world stage. President Tsai also thanked the New Taipei City government for holding this year's National Games in accordance with disease control measures, and for arranging television and Internet broadcasts so that members of the public can watch the events from home. The president also invited everyone watching to join together in following the National Games and cheer on our outstanding athletes from across Taiwan. The president then announced the official opening of the National Games. President Tsai and guests in attendance then watched the ceremony unfold with the entry and raising of the National Games flag, the oath for athletes and officials, the torch procession, and the lighting of the cauldron to start the 2021 National Games.

The World Masters Games 2025 will be held in Taiwan. President Tsai Ing-wen delivered an address today at the virtual press conference for the contract signing, jointly held by the International Masters Games Association (IMGA) and the governments of host cities Taipei City and New Taipei City. President Tsai affirmed that Taiwan aims to host the most successful ever World Masters Games, and will do its utmost to realize the ideal of "Sport for All." A translation of the president's remarks follows: I am delighted to represent Taiwan and witness the formal signing of an agreement between the International Masters Games Association (IMGA) and the governments of Taipei City and New Taipei City to host the World Masters Games 2025. After hosting the 2009 Deaflympics in Taipei, the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, and the Taipei Summer Universiade in 2017, Taiwan will once again be hosting an important international multi-sport competition. The World Masters Games is a very special sports competition. All of the athletes represent themselves or a sports team, and there are no restrictions on entry. This approach fully expresses the love of sports. Based on our successful hosting of previous international competitions, commitment of central government resources, and coordination of civic organizations, we will all work together to support the host cities—Taipei City and New Taipei City. We are confident that the competition would be successful, and that everyone will thoroughly enjoy themselves. Because in addition to good venues and facilities, and a sports-loving public, Taiwan also has rich and diverse culture and tourism resources. In closing, I would like to thank the IMGA for their support and recognition by awarding hosting rights to the Taipei City and New Taipei City governments. Taiwan aims to host the most successful World Masters Games in history, and do our utmost to realize the ideal of "Sport for All." The IMGA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Since founding the World Masters Games in 1985, it has held this event once every four years. Unlike other international sporting events, the World Masters Games brings together sport, tourism and cultural experiences. At the press conference, International Masters Games Association President Mr. Kai Holm, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je（柯文哲）, and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih（侯友宜）signed the World Masters Games host city contract via videoconference. Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung（潘文忠）was also on hand for the press conference.

President Tsai Ing-wen attended the release of the Talent Circulation Alliance's white paper on the morning of June 12, where she stressed that the government is committed to cultivating more Taiwanese talent with bilingual capabilities and digital skills. By further relaxing restrictions, we hope to bring in more diverse talents from around the world and turn Taiwan into an international talent center to improve our international competitiveness and meet the various challenges of the new era. A translation of the president's remarks follows: It is a pleasure to be here with you all today to mark the release of the Talent Circulation Alliance's white paper. In April last year, I participated in the Women's Economic Empowerment Summit jointly sponsored by Taiwan and the US. That was the first time I heard Director William Brent Christensen talk about the Talent Circulation Alliance initiative. I want to thank the American Institute in Taiwan, our government agencies, and all of the partner enterprises participating in the alliance. Only through public-private sector collaboration can the vision behind the Talent Circulation Alliance be realized. This white paper is the result of your collective efforts, and covers a wide range of issues including startup development, women's digital economic empowerment, academic and educational exchanges, and recruiting international talent. This white paper also provides many valuable suggestions about the free circulation of talent. So I want to thank everyone once again for their willingness to share experiences and provide constructive input. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges, so we need these solutions now more than ever. The pandemic's impact has also highlighted industry's tremendous need for innovative capabilities. Whether it's contact tracing, smart resource allocation, distance working and learning, or creative digital solutions, these are our best tools to fight pandemics. And the key to developing these tools is finding ways to develop more innovative talent. Due to the pandemic, supply chains around the world are shifting, and Taiwan stands ready to take advantage of these opportunities and play a key role in supply chains of the future. To meet these challenges and opportunities, we are going to strengthen Taiwan's talent pool in two major areas: bilingual capabilities and digital skills. By focusing on these two areas, our workforce will be equipped with the tools they need to succeed in the global age. In the "bilingual capabilities" area, to reach our goal of making Taiwan a bilingual country by 2030, over the past few years we have implemented policies to promote English learning across all stages of life. We are encouraging elementary schools to adopt English-language curriculums and subsidizing English education research centers at universities. We are also organizing business English courses for high-level management talents. To make it easier to live and work in Taiwan, we are working to make our government offices and banks bilingual. We also plan to establish a financial talent training center to strengthen the quality of talent in this sector. In terms of digital skills, we need to cultivate more talents in AI, ICT, and cybersecurity. We will continue to organize professional training courses tailored to the needs of those industries, and encourage international companies to work with us to train local talents. We will also help more young Taiwanese professionals study and work abroad, so they can bring back new skills when they return. Our goal is to globalize our industries. Taiwan is already a leader in technology, manufacturing, and R&D. We hope to bring in more diverse talents from around the world to continue improving our competitiveness in the international arena. Since 2018, we have issued 720 Employment Gold Cards to outstanding international talents. In the future, we will further relax restrictions, hire more foreign professionals, and increase incentives to encourage more companies to hire them. In addition to high-level management talents, Taiwan also needs to attract more students from top universities around the world to study, intern, and work in Taiwan. To borrow the words of today's white paper: We hope to turn Taiwan into an international talent center. That is why programs like the TCA are so important, because they help link talents from Taiwan, the United States, and around the world with industries where they can make concrete contributions. And with the circulation of talent comes the circulation of ideas, innovation, and inspiration. We take the suggestions in this white paper very seriously. National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin is also with us today, and I hope the Council will refer to and utilize those suggestions, and redouble their efforts to continue improving our human resource policies and the relevant regulations. And in the future, I look forward to diversifying Taiwan-US cooperation on talent cultivation and exchanges. Once again, I want to thank you all for being here and for your contributions to the Talent Circulation Alliance. Together, we can train the next-generation talents the world needs to meet the challenges ahead. 

President Lai Ching-te recently met with Stephen Yates, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center; Buck Sexton, host of the American radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show; and Mr. Sexton’s brothers Mason and Keats. President Lai was also interviewed by Buck Sexton and responded to questions regarding cross-strait relations, the regional landscape, national defense, the economic and trade partnership between Taiwan and the United States, and Taiwan’s social welfare policies. The interview was broadcast on the early morning of October 7. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: One of the things we’ve noticed that has already gotten some attention back in the States is the sense of civic responsibility here, how respectful and law-biding everyone is, how safe everyone feels on your streets. It is inspiring to tell Americans about this. I also wanted to ask you about the situation right now with your neighbor, China. There’s obviously a lot of global concern about a sense of rhetoric heating up, a sense that there is a pathway now that is becoming more imminent that there could be a crisis. How do you want to describe the situation right now, for specifically an American audience? President Lai: First of all, I am very glad that you have seen a lot of things during your stay in Taiwan and that you are having a fruitful trip so far. I also want to thank you for commending our civil society. In the international community, Taiwan is often lauded as being a place where the most beautiful scenery is actually its people. Recently, due to a typhoon, a barrier lake overflowed in Hualien, causing a significant number of injuries and deaths. Streets and houses were covered in mud. Taiwanese society mobilized to help people affected. We had a long holiday weekend this past weekend. On the first day, 30,000 people traveled to Hualien to offer assistance. And on both the second and third days, another 40,000 went, meaning that over 100,000 people, of their own accord, took their shovels to help those affected. In our society, these people were referred to “superheroes with shovels.” So you can feel that in Taiwan there is a lot of warmth. People are kind. So our streets, at nighttime or daytime, are generally very safe. Your question was about Taiwan’s relations with China. I very much hope that everyone in the world who pays attention to Taiwan-China issues can be clear about several things. Firstly, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC. China does not have the right to invade Taiwan. Secondly, China has been holding military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, undermining peace and stability in the region. So it is China – not Taiwan – that is disrupting the cross-strait status quo. The fact that the Taiwanese people seek to protect their sovereignty and pursue a way of life based on democracy, freedom, and human rights should not be seen as a provocation against China. Thirdly, even though Taiwan is facing increasing threats from China, Taiwan has not given up on seeking peace and mutual prosperity across the strait. We understand that peace is priceless and that there are no winners in war. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential elements of global security and prosperity. Our pursuit of peace is an ideal, not a fantasy. We believe that to achieve peace, there must be strength. Since taking office, I have implemented the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. The first pillar is strengthening Taiwan’s national defense. Our defense spending, as defined by NATO, will reach 3.32 percent of GDP next year. And this will increase to 5 percent of GDP by 2030. We are procuring arms from the United States and partners across the international community. At the same time, we are promoting indigenous defense capabilities. We will work with the international community to codevelop arms, including R&D, design, and manufacturing. This will allow the domestic defense industry to grow and contribute to Taiwan’s security. Drones, unmanned submarines, and robotics are all areas that Taiwan will prioritize in the future. The second pillar is enhancing our economic resilience. In 2010, 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment went to China. But last year, this number was only 7 percent. The United States is now Taiwan’s largest destination for outbound investment. In other words, we are not putting all of our eggs in the same basket. We hope that Taiwan’s industries will be rooted in Taiwan, deploy globally, and market across the world. This will not only strengthen our economy but also make it more resilient, thereby safeguarding Taiwan’s security. The third pillar is standing together with the United States and other free and democratic countries to bolster joint deterrence. This will allow us to prevent war by preparing for one. And fourthly, Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with China based on parity and dignity. Through exchanges and cooperation, we can achieve the goal of peace and mutual prosperity. I noticed that US President Donald Trump once said publicly that Xi Jinping actually called him and stated that he would not attack Taiwan during President Trump’s term in office. We hope that Taiwan will continue to enjoy the support of President Trump. If he is able to convince Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan, President Trump will surely win the Nobel Peace Prize. Q: If you could speak directly to President Trump about Taiwan’s situation right now, the security situation more specifically, what would you want him to know?  President Lai: If I had the chance to meet President Trump in person and talk about the current cross-strait situation, I would suggest that he take note of the fact that Xi Jinping is not just holding ever-larger military exercises in the Taiwan Strait but expanding China’s military deployment in the South and East China Seas. China’s military exercises now extend across the Indo-Pacific region. Its aircraft carriers are moving beyond the first island chain and second island chain. And its northern fleet even sailed around Japan for a week. Chinese naval vessels also conducted live-fire exercises in Australia’s exclusive economic zone. The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is changing constantly, and tensions are rising. So the issue is not only a possible annexation of Taiwan. If it is able to annex Taiwan, China will be in a stronger position to compete with the United States and alter the rules-based international order. This would eventually also impact US interests. So we hope that President Trump can continue to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is determined to ensure its national security. We will fulfill our responsibility and work with free and democratic countries to maintain regional peace and stability. Q: Because America has learned some difficult lessons about foreign policy and foreign policy intervention, there is a focus on partners who will carry their weight for their own defense and have a willingness to fight. If anyone in America, policymaker or citizen, has a question about whether Taiwan is willing to defend its own sovereignty, what would you say to them? President Lai: I would tell them that Taiwan is absolutely determined to ensure its own national security. Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. So when Taiwan looks after its own national security, it shows that Taiwan is committed to protecting regional peace and stability as well. That is why, as I mentioned before, we are continuing to increase our national defense budget. So during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s term, the national defense budget was increased from 1.9 percent of GDP to 2.5 percent. Next year, it will reach 3.32 percent. And we hope to increase this to 5 percent by 2030. This would be five years earlier than NATO’s own goal. Also, we have established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee under the Office of the President. This committee brings various sectors of Taiwan together and combines the strengths of the public and private sectors to carry out exercises and drills that enhance whole-of-society defense. I also convened a high-level national security meeting in which we defined the Chinese Communist Party regime as a foreign hostile force; and I proposed 17 strategies to address the five major threats we face from China. These will translate into more than a hundred amendments to our national security laws, which will be reviewed by the Legislative Yuan during the current session. This will put Taiwan on a stronger legal footing, bolster its national defense, and allow people to contribute their power toward safeguarding our nation and protecting regional peace and stability. I believe that people help those who help themselves. So I very much agree with your idea that Taiwan and other countries should meet their own responsibilities. Only by helping ourselves can we expect help from others. And when we show unity and work together, that is when deterrence is at its strongest; and that is when we will be able to safeguard peace and stability in the world. Q: Obviously, there’s a tremendous global and American, specifically, interest in artificial intelligence and the future of it. Also very interesting is the incredible facility that TSMC has built and is building out more in Arizona. I would like to ask you to speak to the economic partnership, specifically in advanced technology, microchip manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, and the relationship between Taiwan and America going forward, and how you view that to grow and bring prosperity for both countries. President Lai: So we all know that Taiwan’s technology industry has performed well. This is the result of decades of cooperation among Taiwan’s industries, government, academia, and R&D sector, as well as the support of the Taiwanese people. But I must also note with appropriate humility that TSMC and the Taiwanese semiconductor industry are still only one part of a bigger ecosystem, and do not represent the whole system. So if you look at the entire semiconductor ecosystem, the United States is strong in areas such as innovation, R&D, and design. And it is also the biggest market. Japan is strong in raw materials and related equipment. And the Republic of Korea, they have flash memory. Taiwan’s strength is in wafer manufacturing. And the Netherlands makes the critical equipment that is used to make semiconductors. But in the whole ecosystem, you can see that around 80 percent of profits go to the United States. So for semiconductors, I would say the United States is still the leader in this ecosystem. Looking ahead, as we face the AI era, every nation in the semiconductor ecosystem will be extremely important. And the United States will continue to lead the world in this. So Taiwan is very willing to work with the United States to achieve this goal. We want to help the United States reindustrialize and become a global AI hub. We want the United States to continue to lead the world in this new AI era and we want to help make America great again. So with regard to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, we see it as an important responsibility in terms of ensuring the world’s future prosperity. That is why the Taiwan government has been very supportive of TSMC’s investments in the United States and Japan, as well as Germany. In the future, when the United States has reindustrialized and become a global AI hub, I am sure that TSMC will continue to play a crucial role. Q: Over the course of meetings with various members of your government, I learned something very interesting that has to do with family formation, a problem we have also started to look at in America. It will be very interesting, I think, to the American audience, to hear of countries that are trying to use policy to address issues like encouraging marriage and encouraging children so that a society can replenish – so that there is replenishment and there is resiliency. Could you please speak to some of the ways that you are encouraging people to have more kids here? What is Taiwan doing and how are those initiatives going so far? President Lai: I am very glad that you look positively at what we have been doing in Taiwan. Actually, Taiwan’s policies were made with reference to what the United States and other countries have been doing. Concerning our strategies: first, the government is supporting families in jointly raising children from birth to six years old by providing monthly subsidies. Tuition is also free for both public and private high schools and vocational schools. We also have a long-term care system for senior citizens. Across Taiwan, there are some 15,000 service centers with around 100,000 long-term care staff who look after seniors over the age of 65 as well as people with disabilities so that they can receive quality care. Young people who want to get married and have children are given priority in applying for social housing. If they want to buy a home, they can get government funding to subsidize the interest on their mortgage. And if they are renting, they can get a rent subsidy from the government. For couples who are having problems conceiving, the government subsidizes fertility treatment. We are also cutting taxes. Taiwan’s government is currently investing more in our society and cutting taxes by more than ever before in our history. These initiatives will help our young people feel confident that they can get married, have children, and will be able to raise them. I note that President Trump is also cutting taxes. We want to reduce the burden on households so that more people can start a family. This will promote social stability, prosperity, development, and continual growth for the country.