Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the afternoon of August 8, President Lai Ching-te presided over the first meeting of the National Climate Change Committee. As the committee’s convener, the president presented committee members with their letters of appointment, and explained that, in line with the principle of equity, the committee has drawn its members from a diverse range of disciplines, generations, and perspectives. This demonstrates the government’s determination, he said, to forge a social consensus through diversified dialogue, and to unite the public in addressing the major challenges to future global and domestic development. President Lai emphasized that energy issues are complex and not simply a black-and-white matter of being for or against nuclear energy. Every strategic national policy decision, he said, is bound to present multiple-choice questions complicated by the fact that more than one right answer may be possible. The president stated that he aims to address issues honestly, propose solutions pragmatically, and resolve problems practically through the committee’s discussions, with the goal of formulating strategies for the nation’s sustainable development so that Taiwan society can forge a consensus and the nation can indeed develop sustainably. A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows: Today is Father’s Day, so first I want to wish fathers around the world a happy Father’s Day. I also want to thank everyone for taking the time to participate in today’s meeting, especially on this holiday. There are many fathers here today, and Committee Member Huang Pin-han (黃品涵), who recently gave birth and is still in postpartum care, insisted on attending. Let’s give her a warm round of applause. I also want to thank all our friends watching the live broadcast, who are joining us in showing their concern for the nation’s future and development. To respond to the impacts of global climate change, global infectious diseases, and the challenges posed by shifting global geopolitics, I announced the establishment of three committees at the Presidential Office one month after my inauguration: the National Climate Change Committee, Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, and Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. I hope these three committees will fulfill three major functions of serving as platforms for social engagement, bridges for communication within society, and engines for policy effectiveness. This demonstrates the government’s determination to forge a social consensus through diversified dialogue and unite the public to address the major challenges of future global and domestic development. In line with the principle of equity, the members of these three committees are drawn from a diverse range of disciplines, generations, and perspectives. For example, the National Climate Change Committee includes eight cabinet ministers and commission heads, with Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) serving as the executive secretary. National climate governance, however, involves broad and profound issues, requiring the public and private sectors to join forces and work together. As a result, 65 percent of this committee’s members are not government officials. In addition, 28.5 percent of members are women. There are six representatives from the industrial sector, and we want to express our gratitude to enterprise representatives Paul Peng (彭双浪), Lai Po-szu (賴博司), Terry Tsao (曹世綸), Sophia Cheng (程淑芬), Lydia Hsiao-mei Lin (林筱玫), and Taipower Company Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) for their participation. Their involvement will extend Taiwan’s strategic thinking about climate and energy across traditional sectors, fields, and high-tech industries, account for the needs of emerging industries of the new era such as AI and international green finance, and ensure that we look ahead to the future and align with international trends. The number of our representatives from the civil society sector is equal to that of the industrial sector, with six pioneers of environmental movements representing multiple generations invited to participate: Shih Shin-min (施信民), Lee Ken-cheng (李根政), Chao Chia-wei (趙家緯), Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳), Huang Pin-han (黃品涵), and Chen Hui-ping (陳惠萍). They all represent efforts at the frontlines of environmental movements. We are deeply grateful for your participation and look forward to jointly expanding dialogue with civil society, working together to achieve greater depth and breadth in systemic change. Of course, we also invited scholars and experts from various disciplines to join. We are very grateful to Lin Tze-luen (林子倫), Chou Kuei-tien (周桂田), Tseng Chung-jen (曾重仁), and Su Huey-jen (蘇慧貞) for their participation. Their respective backgrounds in the humanities, science and engineering, environmental health, medicine, and public health will help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of climate change issues. The committee is meeting for the first time today, and we are beginning by discussing issues that are the focus of particular concern to our society. First, we will hear a report from the Ministry of Environment assessing the impacts of climate change on both the globe and Taiwan. Following that, Chairman Tseng will deliver a report on the transition and challenges related to power supply and demand in Taiwan. Due to the impacts of extreme weather, more and more experts are warning that each summer from now on is likely to be “one of the coolest summers of the rest of our lives.” Increasingly, what were once considered “once-in-a-century” droughts and storms are occurring in rapid succession. Over the past eight years under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration, the government had to establish two emergency response centers at least 19 times, either in close succession or simultaneously – one to address drought and the other to manage flooding. Late last month, Typhoon Gaemi brought disastrous rainfall in Chiayi and three other counties and municipalities south of it. Single-day precipitation levels in both the lowlands and mountainous areas were comparable to those brought by Typhoon Morakot in 2009, and in some areas even exceeded Morakot. Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that nationwide losses from damage to agricultural property and private facilities are already in the billions of New Taiwan Dollars. Extreme precipitation caused by global extreme weather, as well as heat waves and other such disasters pose formidable challenges to all countries. A sudden natural disaster is like an acute cold, while climate change is more like a chronic disease. But no matter which type of problem we’re facing, we all have a responsibility to continue strengthening Taiwan’s ability to adapt to the risks associated with extreme weather, and to continually make our nation more sustainable and more resilient. Of course, I realize that the stability of Taiwan’s power supply is a matter of concern not only to us in Taiwan. It’s also important to international supply chains. There has recently been widespread discussion regarding the issue of nuclear power. Twenty-plus years ago, back when I was a member of the Legislative Yuan, working across party lines I co-sponsored a draft version of the Basic Environment Act. The Act has come to be known as Taiwan’s “environmental constitution,” and it is the first law in Taiwan to incorporate the concept of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Article 23 of the Act reads that the government shall formulate a plan to progressively achieve the goal of a nuclear-free homeland. Although the DPP was the ruling party at that time within the executive branch, we did not have a legislative majority. The fact that we were able to get the Basic Environment Act passed by reaching a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties is proof that the concept of a nuclear-free homeland is not just an ideological stance of the DPP. Sustainable development is a goal that we all agree upon, regardless of party affiliation, and one that we’re all working together to achieve. I hope that through this committee, everyone can realize that energy issues are complex and not simply a black-and-white matter of being for or against nuclear energy. Every strategic national policy decision is bound to present multiple-choice questions complicated by the fact that more than one right answer may be possible. That’s the only way we can address issues honestly, propose solutions pragmatically, and resolve problems practically. Therefore, I want to say to every one of you, that to have differing positions is typical in a democracy. Having diverse opinions is, in fact, the best thing about democracy. I hope that the committee’s discussions will impress upon the 23 million people of Taiwan that we can all have our different viewpoints, but we only have one Taiwan. We can all have our different stances, but we still have one goal that we all agree upon, and that is our nation’s sustainable development. Our shared mission is to think flexibly and brainstorm among a broad range of people, with the goal of formulating strategies for the nation’s sustainable development so that Taiwan society can forge a consensus. Once again, I want to thank everyone for your willingness to take on such an important task. I’ll soon ask each of you to actively share your thoughts, professional expertise, and experience with us, to help us resolve problems and to help Taiwan keep moving forward. Thank you. Following his statement, President Lai presented letters of appointment to the committee members, heard a report assessing the impacts of climate change on both the globe and Taiwan presented by Minister Peng, and a report on the transition and challenges related to power supply and demand in Taiwan presented by Chairman Tseng. Afterward, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the two reports and the Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Office of the President National Climate Change Committee.

On the morning of April 22, Earth Day, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the 100 Re-Actions forum on environmental sustainability in Taipei. In remarks, President Tsai stated that the government will promote a broad transition across Taiwan's energy sector, industry, lifestyle, and society on the foundations of technology R&D and climate legislation, working together with the public to accelerate progress toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.   A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows: One year ago today, on Earth Day last year, I attended this forum and announced that we would take a pragmatic and forward-looking approach in plotting a course toward net-zero emissions by 2050. After a year of planning and interagency efforts, the National Development Council (NDC) at the end of last month (March) officially published Taiwan's Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050, along with an explanation of our overall strategy. On the foundations of technology R&D and climate legislation, the government will promote a broad transition across Taiwan's energy sector, industry, lifestyle, and society in order to accelerate progress toward net-zero emissions.   Technological advances are a key driver of the global transition to net-zero. Whether it’s the net-zero roadmap set out by the International Energy Agency (IEA) or the roadmaps of other countries, long-term carbon reduction will rely on new technologies to deliver further breakthroughs. Taiwan has globally competitive technological advantages, and we must invest in the research and development of new sustainable energy technologies, taking a multi-pronged approach to comprehensively deploy the technologies needed for net-zero.  In terms of legislation, the Environmental Protection Administration has worked to amend the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act. In addition to changing the name of the act to the Climate Change Response Act, its proposed revisions would write the 2050 net-zero emissions goal into law while activating a carbon pricing mechanism and filling out procedures for carbon footprint verification. Yesterday, the Executive Yuan approved these draft revisions and forwarded them to the Legislative Yuan for review. Going forward, the government will continue to push for further revisions to three key energy-related laws, and will leverage the power of green finance to help our finance sector accelerate the pace of our transition.  Energy transition is at the heart of this work. Since 2016, the government has been actively developing our green energy industry and continues to increase our renewable energy generation capacity, transforming Taiwan into the green energy hub of Asia. The purpose of these efforts is to lay a strong foundation for our future energy transition.  Moving forward, we will invest in the research and development of emerging technologies, including in hydrogen energy, geothermal energy, and other alternative green energy sources. Moreover, to accompany growth in green energy, we will continue to advance the development of smarter electrical grids and energy storage equipment. We want to use the power of technology to drive and accelerate the pace of our energy transition, so that by 2050, renewable energy accounts for at least 60 percent of our generation capacity, hydrogen accounts for around 10 percent, and fossil fuel with carbon capture accounts for around 20 percent, thereby achieving a stable energy transition.  In industry, our government continues to collect recommendations from a range of agencies and develop systematic strategies for reducing carbon emissions. As a country with an export-oriented industrial sector, Taiwan needs to make structural adjustments in order to become a part of the global green supply chain, whether through the enhancement of production processes in our manufacturing sector, the electrification of vehicles, or other means. To achieve this, our public and private sectors will have to work together. I encourage our business leaders to follow our government's model of first working with major companies to lead the way for smaller companies, together reducing the potential impacts of this transition on business while also making Taiwanese industry more competitive internationally.  Our transition to reach net-zero by 2050 will touch every aspect of our lives. To help everyone make lifestyle adjustments, the relevant government agencies have been engaging the public in conversation to forge a broad consensus on this matter. In addition to rallying everyone in Taiwan toward a low-carbon lifestyle, we are working to incorporate this idea even more broadly in areas such as diet, transportation, and architecture.  When it comes to the transition for society at large, the most important thing is to take care in ensuring a fair process. The government is preparing to collaborate with the public to jointly establish a social support system that will assist disadvantaged groups from all sectors of society, helping them turn the challenges of this transition into opportunities while also ensuring public participation and a just process. It is our hope that the costs of this transformation will not be unfairly placed on disadvantaged groups, which is why the government will help them through this process.  Achieving Taiwan's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 will be a massive challenge. Our government has already planned to invest NT$900 billion by 2030 to promote our transition plans and continue to fine-tune our efforts. We also look forward to industry, academia, and all sectors of society working together with our government, as this forum reminds us that sustainability cannot be achieved by working alone. We will combine our nation's strengths and resources to ensure that the international push for a transition to net-zero by 2050 helps power Taiwan's own development heading into this new era. The NDC's publication of Taiwan's Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050 and explanation of our overall strategy last month was just the beginning. Our government has received recommendations from industry and environmental organizations, and there will be many projects and work that will require collaboration among us all. We will soon begin the next phase of our dialogue with the public, and will continue to review and revise our plans on a rolling basis, so that the people and government can continue cooperation and take significant strides toward our goal of net-zero by 2050.

On the morning of December 8, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the opening ceremony of the 2021 Energy Taiwan exhibition. In remarks, President Tsai stated that by 2025 domestic construction of wind and solar power installations is set to generate NT$1.7 trillion in investments, more than NT$2 trillion in output value, and 160,000 job opportunities. The president also said that the government is making every effort to make Taiwan the green energy hub of Asia, while speeding up and expanding our green energy rollout so that Taiwan's energy sector will be an indispensable link in the international green energy supply chain. A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows: We're all aware that one of the key issues at last month's COP26 was the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. This goal has become a global consensus, and, going forward, countries around the world will be working toward reducing their carbon emissions. Transforming our energy sector is the key to reducing carbon emissions, and today's Energy Taiwan exhibition highlights Taiwan's determination and ability to develop renewable energy. Each of you here is an important partner to our government in our joint effort to promote Taiwan's energy transition. I have participated in this exhibition's opening ceremony for four consecutive years, not just to show how important energy issues are for this administration, but also to thank all of you in person. Because of your efforts, Taiwan has been able to engage with the international community and contribute more to the world. Climate change is a global challenge, and Taiwan is joining the global response. The Environmental Protection Administration is currently working on amendments to our nation's Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, including writing the 2050 net-zero goal into law. And the Executive Yuan has set up a task force to evaluate possible paths toward net-zero emissions and draft a blueprint for our energy transition. Today's exhibition is our domestic green energy industry's largest platform for exchange. I want everyone to know that our government is making every effort to realize our vitally important goal of making Taiwan the green energy hub of Asia. In the future, global industrial demand for green energy will only continue to grow. This year, Taiwan began to implement provisions that will spur major power consumers to increase the proportion of renewable energy they use within five years. The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will also subject the carbon footprints of export products to more rigorous inspections. As such, many international enterprises have joined the RE100 initiative, under which they have committed to using 100-percent renewable energy in the future. Here, TSMC and UMC are among the companies which have joined RE100 and have acted on their green energy commitments. I'm sure you all noticed that last week, SEMI released new data showing that Taiwan's firms spent over US$7.3 billion on semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the third quarter, setting a domestic record and making Taiwan the world's largest market for such equipment. This year, the output value of Taiwan's semiconductor industry is projected to surpass NT$4 trillion for the first time ever. Our semiconductor industry is indeed thriving. To meet urgent industry demand for green energy, our government is speeding up and expanding our green energy rollout, and is helping make Taiwan's energy sector an indispensable link in the international green energy supply chain. I also want to share with you that Taiwan's solar energy installed capacity has grown by a factor of 4.7 over the past five years, and our second offshore wind farm has also started operation. We expect that, through 2025, wind and solar power construction projects in Taiwan will generate NT$1.7 trillion in investments, more than NT$2 trillion in output value, and 160,000 job opportunities. To further progress and develop, Taiwan must continue to promote the transformation of our energy sector. To reach our long-term goal of net-zero emissions, we need to use natural gas in this transitional period and build a more flexible and responsive power supply network. Building the third liquefied natural gas import terminal will help relieve the imbalance created by generating power for northern Taiwan in central and southern Taiwan, and will also reduce air pollution in central and southern Taiwan. This facility is crucial to Taiwan's energy sector and to achieving net-zero emissions. We all know how important energy is to our nation's economic development, industrial competitiveness, and people's everyday lives. So, however difficult this energy transition may be, our government will continue to engage with people throughout society to jointly resolve any issues we might encounter. I hope we can combine our collective strengths and resolutely forge ahead on this path. In closing, I want to thank the organizer and co-organizers for their efforts to expand the scope of this exhibition every year. I also want to congratulate today's award winners, and thank each of you for your contributions to transforming Taiwan's energy sector. Let's continue to work together toward this goal. Thank you, and I wish you all a successful exhibition. Following her address, President Tsai presented the SEMI Taiwan Industry Contribution Awards, Taiwan Excellent PV Awards, Top Solar Awards, and PVGSA Renewable PV Power System Promotion Awards to awardees and firms. The president also visited the Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, United Renewable Energy, and Taiwan Solar Energy Corporation exhibition booths and listened to presentations introducing their products. Also in attendance at the exhibition were Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Chuan-neng (林全能), Chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council James C. F. Huang (黃志芳), SEMI Taiwan President Terry Tsao (曹世綸), and members of the diplomatic corps stationed in Taiwan.

On the afternoon of November 7 (morning of the same day in the UK), President Tsai Ing-wen addressed the Taiwan Day event held on the sidelines of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) via video. President Tsai stated that no single country can address the global climate crisis alone and that Taiwan should be included as part of the solution to this issue. The president also reiterated that Taiwan is willing and able to work side-by-side with our international partners to achieve our collective goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. A transcript of President Tsai's remarks follows: First, I want to extend a warm welcome to you all for your presence at COP26 Taiwan Day. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present tremendous challenges to the world, the effort to tackle the global climate crisis also requires our immediate and joint attention. In recent decades, the world has faced increasingly grave challenges from extreme weather and climate change. Taiwan, as an integral part of the global community, is looking to play a role and make greater contributions in this important endeavor, so we can leave a better world for our future generations. Therefore, on this critical issue of climate change, Taiwan is determined to join the world in working toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. My administration has been aggressively implementing an energy transition plan since 2016, and is cultivating an even more aggressive plan to expedite our energy transition toward the net-zero goal. To demonstrate our commitment, we are also incorporating the target of "2050 Net-Zero Emissions" into our domestic law. Our government is also engaging the private sector to jointly develop green energy. Our collaboration has helped Taiwan's installed solar power capacity grow 450 percent over the past five years. And our first offshore wind farm began operation in 2019. Our effort doesn't stop here. We aim to do more than just to expedite our own energy transition. Taiwan is also working to become the Green Energy Hub in Asia. We also want to share our experience with neighboring countries to facilitate a more sustainable region. With the international community taking steps toward a zero-carbon economy, I am pleased to see so many experts from government agencies, industry, civil society, and academia gathered here today. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to discuss and exchange views on green energy and green finance with our friends from around the world. Let me take this opportunity to reiterate that Taiwan is willing and capable to work side-by-side with our international partners to achieve our collective goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Taiwan regards attaining net-zero and mitigating crisis as our collective and generational responsibility. And for this very reason, Taiwan should be included as part of the solution to address the global climate crisis. No single country can do this alone. Only by being united can we ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Thank you all again for your participation. I wish you all a productive and fruitful COP26 Taiwan Day. The UNFCCC COP26 meetings are being held in Glasgow, Scotland between October 31 and November 12. Taiwan held COP26 Taiwan Day on November 7 in Glasgow to show our nation's willingness and determination to work with international partners to address climate change and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

On the morning of April 22, President Tsai Ing-wen attended the opening ceremony of the 2021 Social Design Action Forum, entitled "Sustainability—The Solutions for Our Earth." In her remarks at the event, President Tsai noted that we all have a common goal: to cut carbon emissions and slow climate change, thereby reducing the resulting impacts and giving humans and all living things a sustainable environment. At the same time, she said, carbon reduction will prompt profound economic changes. The president added that Taiwan is plotting a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, both via an ongoing energy transformation, and by developing systematic strategies to reduce emissions in sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, residential construction, and agriculture. A translation of the president's remarks follows: Today is Earth Day, a day when we come together to think about ways to promote sustainable development. We must recognize that humankind's only home, our earth, is now facing serious challenges. Taiwan is a key example of the challenges we face. Due to the effects of extreme weather, two or three years ago, we were worrying about flooding after torrential rains. And from last year until now, we have been experiencing our most severe drought in a century.  Although our proactive Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program has strengthened our water distribution and the development of new water sources, the challenges that we face from extreme weather are still serious. We all hope that these extreme weather patterns will not become the new normal. We therefore have a responsibility to work even harder to resolve climate issues.  As everyone knows, a new international trend is emerging to respond to climate change. The European Union (EU) led the way by proposing a European Green Deal at the end of 2019, including a pledge to become carbon-neutral, which means achieving net zero emissions, by 2050. The EU is also expected to start imposing a carbon tax. In addition, in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan, Korea, and China have all come out since last year to propose target dates for reaching net zero emissions. Our key partner, the United States, is also following suit, and today, President Joe Biden will convene a climate summit. The United States will play a key role in addressing global carbon reduction.  The world is changing rapidly, and so far, over 120 countries have announced plans to achieve net zero emissions before 2050. Many multinational brands such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft have also made commitments to reach net zero emissions. Everyone has a common goal: to cut carbon emissions and slow climate change, thereby reducing the resulting impacts and giving humans and all living things a sustainable environment. At the same time, carbon reduction will prompt profound economic changes. Whoever can take the lead in developing new technologies and creating new economic models will cement their status in a new global order. Taiwan will not be left to chase this international trend. During my first term in office, we launched the 5+2 industrial innovation plan, as part of which we are now engaged in an all-out effort to develop green energy and a circular economy. In my New Year's address this past January, I said that we would consult widely to identify the future sustainable development methods most appropriate for Taiwan, while turning the challenges of carbon reduction into new opportunities for industrial development and job creation. Most countries around the world are talking about achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and Taiwan is actively preparing to take steps toward this goal. Under the coordination of our Executive Yuan, our government has already begun evaluating what Taiwan needs to do to reduce CO2 emissions. In addition to the ongoing transformation of our energy sector, we also need to devise systematic strategies to reduce emissions in manufacturing, transportation, residential construction, and agriculture. Some regard these things as a challenge, but I firmly believe that many of our friends in industry see the transformation to net zero as an opportunity. Thinking must change on both the supply and demand sides of the market, so that we can seize new business opportunities and make Taiwan an even stronger competitor in global supply chains. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), for example, has joined the RE100 renewable energy initiative, which promotes 100-percent reliance on green energy. And many companies have joined the Taiwan Circular Economy 100, an alliance of firms seeking to move away from the linear economy toward a circular economy. These are excellent examples of the willingness of industry to adapt to these emerging trends. I was also very happy to see domestic media organizations, corporations, and civil society groups launch the 2021 Social Design Action Forum, held in collaboration with the American Institute in Taiwan, to expand space for international exchange focused on innovation. Kevin Yang (楊振甫), the CEO of 5% Design Action and the curator of today's event, said that "The battle for sustainability isn't one you can fight alone." The cover of the latest issue of TIME magazine clearly states: "Climate Is Everything." Putting a stop to global warming is one of the key challenges of our generation. As I said earlier, Taiwan cannot sit on the sidelines of this challenge; we must seek out opportunities to cooperate with other countries and create mutually beneficial outcomes. In closing, I want to thank the organizers of this summit for their thoughtful arrangements, as well as the many people concerned about climate change in attendance. I wish you all success over the coming three days, as everyone pools their collective wisdom to come up with creative new solutions.

In a recent interview with Buck Sexton, a host of the American radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, President Lai Ching-te 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.