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2022-11-03
中文
President Tsai meets 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue participants

On the morning of November 3, President Tsai Ing-wen met with participants in the 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue, hosted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR). President Tsai said that INDSR was founded four years ago as a national-level defense think tank to give us a more comprehensive grasp of changes in the strategic landscape and to strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and exchanges between Taiwan and other countries in the region. Nothing that the Taipei Security Dialogue is a key program in efforts by INDSR to advance international exchanges, President Tsai welcomed the participants to deepen cooperation with INDSR and Taiwan's other think tanks, and said she looks forward to further such exchanges in the future.

A translation of President Tsai's remarks follows:

Welcome to the Presidential Office. The 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue successfully concluded yesterday. I would like to thank all of our distinguished guests who traveled long distances from various countries to take part in this event. Your participation reflects the importance you place on Taiwan's security and peace.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year has rallied democratic nations in support of Ukraine, and has brought attention to Taiwan's security and peace. Especially since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan this past August, China has conducted military exercises in areas around Taiwan, prompting further concern across the international community.

I want to reiterate that Taiwan is a force for good, maintaining peace in the region and holding firm in the defense of democracy and freedom. We do not engage in provocation or rash behavior. In the face of authoritarian expansion, Taiwan will continue to bolster cooperation with democratic partners to safeguard our shared ideals and values. 

Over the past few years, we have actively enhanced our self-sufficiency in defense and our asymmetric warfare capabilities, with concrete results in our domestic production of aircraft and naval vessels.

Just two days ago, I attended a briefing on the achievements of the F-16 maintenance center, which was jointly established by Lockheed Martin, the US manufacturer of F-16 fighter jets, and Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation. This center symbolizes the success of Taiwan-US defense industry cooperation. 

Aside from enhancing foreign defense exchanges and cooperation, we have established the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency to strengthen combat training capacity and our reserve forces. 

With us here today is Chairman Huoh Shoou-yeh (霍守業) of INDSR, a national-level defense think tank founded four years ago to give us a more comprehensive grasp of changes in the strategic landscape, and to strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and exchanges between Taiwan and other countries in the region.

The Taipei Security Dialogue is a key program in efforts by INDSR to advance international exchanges, and the inclusion of such influential experts and scholars at this event demonstrates the success of its years of efforts. Distinguished guests, your nations' experiences in and approaches to national defense and mobilization are important references for Taiwan's own defense reforms. I thank you again for supporting Taiwan and for sharing your valuable analyses and recommendations.

Taiwan stands on the frontlines of defense against authoritarian expansion, and we are happy to share our experience with you. I welcome all of you to deepen cooperation with Taiwan's think tanks, especially INDSR. 

In closing, I wish you all a fruitful visit and look forward to engaging in further exchanges with you in the future.

In remarks on behalf of the visiting international participants in the 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Heino Klinck said it was an honor to have the opportunity to meet with President Tsai, and added that while the participants come from different countries, they are all friends of Taiwan and support what it stands for. He stated that Taiwan remains a beacon of freedom and an example to all of us of what can be achieved when people work with common purpose to build a prosperous, pluralistic, liberal democratic, and capitalist society that values individual freedom without compromising the collective well-being of a nation.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck expressed his belief that the juxtaposition of democratic Taiwan with autocratic China could not be more stark, and highlighted that, aside from what is already commonly known about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its policies, and its objectives, the coronation of Xi Jinping at the CCP's 20th National Congress again underscored that there is but one voice in China – that of General Secretary Xi. He observed that Xi had removed any last vestige of potential dissent from the party leadership, had his predecessor physically removed from the Great Hall of the People [in Beijing], installed his coterie of diehard loyalists into the Standing Committee of the CCP Politburo and Central Military Commission, and warned the Chinese people and the rest of the world of a great struggle ahead. 

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck further stated that General Secretary Xi's remarks at the party congress served to underscore that the world can only anticipate a doubling down of the aggressive and revanchist policies that have been on the rise over the last decade. He noted that there has been a realization across the Indo-Pacific region and the globe that the so-called "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" equates to an imposition of the CCP's national security, economic, and development interests on other countries.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck pointed out that China has chosen systematic competition with like-minded democratic nations in the CCP's attempt to rewrite the existing order to its benefit, and said that the CCP views competition along all facets of what it describes as comprehensive national power, including in the economic, technological, political, and military dimensions.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck emphasized that it is important for like-minded nations such as those represented at the meeting to band together to strengthen deterrence in all domains, in order to ensure that competition does not lead to conflict. He said that today, with war raging in Europe, we must come to terms with the fact that we live in a world in which conflict cannot be ruled out, and stressed that we must work even harder, both to try to prevent conflict and also to ensure that we can prevail if conflict is thrust upon us.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck expressed his belief that difficult decisions lie ahead in all of our nations, amongst our citizens, and for our leaders, with political and military as well as social, educational, and economic implications. He added that the context of these decisions could not be clearer, in that the CCP's intent to revise the international order to favor Beijing's authoritarian system and national interests makes it clear what the world would look like if the CCP makes the rules, sets the standards, and establishes norms. He pointed out that all one has to do today to understand this potential world is to look at Shanghai Disney, ask the employees of the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China, or try to seek freedom in Hong Kong.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck stated that he nevertheless remains an optimist that, with leaders such as President Tsai, our nations will make the right decisions, as the consequences are so unambiguous for all who have both been privileged to live in democratic societies and have experienced authoritarianism firsthand. He stated that he and his fellow participants will strive to continue to support Taiwan in ensuring that its people can determine their own path without fear of intimidation or reprisal.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Klinck concluded his remarks by once again thanking President Tsai for hosting him and his fellow participants.

President Tsai Ing-wen meets with participants in the 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue.
President Tsai delivers remarks.
President Tsai meets with participants in the 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue.
President Tsai poses for a photo with participants in the 2022 Taipei Security Dialogue.
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中文
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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.
中文
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.
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