President Tsai addresses 26th Forum 2000 Conference
On the evening of September 2 at 6:50 p.m. (12:50 p.m. local time in the Czech Republic), President Tsai Ing-wen delivered remarks via video at the closing of the 26th Forum 2000 Conference.
President Tsai emphasized that neither threats nor coercion will shake Taiwan's resolve to engage with the world, and that Taiwan and its people stand ready to step up cooperation with democracies in areas where we can be helpful.
The president said that collaboration, support, and information sharing remain key to democratic resilience. Noting that Taiwan has been working diligently to combat authoritarian influence with democracy and freedom as a non-negotiable part of our identity, the president stated that such determination gives Taiwan the resilience to meet challenges head on and defend against forces seeking to undermine our democratic institutions and the liberal democratic world order.
A transcript of President Tsai's speech follows:
I want to begin by thanking the Forum 2000 Foundation for inviting me once again to this important event, at such a critical time for democracies worldwide.
I also want to express my appreciation to Executive Director Klepal and his colleagues at the Forum 2000 Foundation for their staunch support for Taiwan's democracy.
Last month, when China imposed what it called "disciplinary action" against the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy on false pretenses, the Forum 2000 Foundation was the first to condemn China for intensifying attacks on human rights and freedoms in Taiwan. I am grateful for your unwavering support for Taiwan's democracy and solidarity with the Taiwanese people.
It is my understanding that the organizer moved up the date of this year's Conference from October due to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian people bravely defend their country, democracy advocates worldwide know that time is of the essence. There is a dire need for democrats to come together to counter the resurgence of authoritarianism, and to make democracies more resilient in this increasingly challenging environment.
Authoritarian regimes will use whatever means necessary, including targeting innocent civilians, to achieve their expansionist goals. The war in Ukraine has now become a constant reminder of that.
I commend Forum 2000 for hosting a special "Forum for Ukraine," where participants discussed how Ukraine can rise from the war and move toward a secure future at the heart of the European and global democratic communities.
One of the main reasons Taiwanese empathize with Ukraine is that we, too, have to deal with the constant threat of authoritarianism. This threat has been present for decades, and has only intensified in recent years, particularly as democracies and their leaders demonstrated their willingness to visit and work with Taiwan.
Our partnerships with Europe have flourished because they are built on our shared values of democracy and freedom. This year, several EU and member state parliamentarians traveled to Taiwan to show their support.
A number of EU member states also spoke out to support Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly. And Taiwan and several European countries are building even closer relationships.
The EU's joint communication on its Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific pledges to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan in key industries such as semiconductors, information and communications technology, and data protection.
In response to these efforts, authoritarian regimes have resorted to economic coercion and political and cognitive warfare. Disinformation and influence operations have also been used to subvert democracies in Europe and to punish those who engage with Taiwan.
I am glad to inform you that Taiwan's democratic partners bravely stood up to authoritarian pressure to strengthen their relationships with Taiwan. Their actions deeply moved the Taiwanese people. We have tried every possible way to show our gratitude to our democratic friends.
I want to emphasize here that neither threats nor coercion will shake Taiwan's resolve to engage with the world. Taiwan and its people stand ready to step up cooperation with democracies in areas where we can be helpful.
More importantly, collaboration, support, and information sharing remain key to democratic resilience. And, Taiwan has been working diligently to combat authoritarian influence, with democracy and freedom as a non-negotiable part of who we are.
This determination gives Taiwan the resilience to meet challenges head on, and defend against forces seeking to undermine our democratic institutions and the liberal democratic world order.
We also want to encourage democracies to lend their support to facilitate agencies for democratic assistance.
Taiwan established the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, or TFD, almost 20 years ago. TFD has been offering support to domestic and international civil society groups in their efforts to bolster democracy and human rights.
The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy also works closely with institutions such as the National Endowment for Democracy and its family organizations, as well as with Europe-based foundations such as the Forum 2000 Foundation and Alliance for Democracy Foundation.
A part of this cooperation is facilitating discussions on shared norms, and helping identify ways in which democracies can deliver. It also encourages a whole-of-society approach that rests on participation from a diverse range of stakeholders.
Democracies need to be confident about who we are, so that we can help ourselves and one another.
During our meeting last year, we discussed how we can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, while safeguarding our democratic institutions. Since then, it seems the challenges we face have become even more profound.
We continue working to control the spread of COVID-19 variants, in our effort to have our lives return to normal. Now, we must also counter threats from authoritarian regimes and war. Even in these difficult times, however, we should be proud that we have worked together with strength and partnership.
Before I conclude, I want to again express my deepest gratitude to our friends from across Europe, particularly Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, for coming to Taiwan's aid during a very critical time. The people of Taiwan will never forget your kindness and will return this generosity in due time.
Taiwan's democracy, similar to European democracies, was built on the sacrifices of those who fought against authoritarianism. We all walked a long road to realize the freedoms that we enjoy today, so we have a shared understanding of how precious and sometimes fragile democracies can be. And we know how important it is for us to stand together.
I'm sure your discussions over the past two days have been encouraging and productive. And, while I know we will surely face greater challenges in the future, I am also confident that, by standing united, working together, and keeping our belief in the value of democracy, we will always overcome the challenges that we face and achieve our goals.
Forum 2000 was founded in 1996 as a joint initiative of the then Czech President Václav Havel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel, and Japanese philanthropist Sasakawa Yohei, and as a platform where participants can debate the prospects and challenges for democracy, defending human rights, and promoting civil society development. Taiwan has sent representatives to attend the Forum 2000 Conference each year since 1998, and President Tsai previously delivered remarks via video at the 24th and 25th conferences in 2020 and 2021.
The theme of the 26th Forum 2000 Conference was "Democracy's Clear and Present Danger: How Do We Respond?". Topics discussed at the event included Russia's invasion of Ukraine, democratic resilience, democratic alliances, responding to the resurgence of authoritarianism, democracy in the digital age, and new ideas for democracy. Participants at the conference included Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, American political science scholar Francis Fukuyama, and founding president of the US National Endowment for Democracy Carl Gershman.
President Tsai delivered remarks at the closing ceremony, before the event was closed by the Forum 2000 Foundation Executive Director Jakub Klepal.