President Lai meets 2024 Ketagalan Forum international participants
On the morning of August 22, President Lai Ching-te met with international participants from the Ketagalan Forum: 2024 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue. In remarks, President Lai thanked the distinguished guests once again for traveling from all over the world to attend, demonstrating collective strength and resolve in protecting, cherishing, and further entrenching democracy. The president expressed hope to work together with democratic partners to uphold our shared values and make even greater contributions to democracy, peace, and prosperity throughout the region and across the globe.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
This year’s Ketagalan Forum drew to a successful conclusion yesterday. I want to thank our distinguished guests once again for traveling from all over the world to attend, demonstrating collective strength and resolve in protecting, cherishing, and further entrenching democracy.
The forum focused on the Taiwan Strait situation and the global security order. It also discussed how gray-zone tactics such as information and cognitive warfare impact and pose challenges to democracy. These issues are not merely our common concerns at the present moment; they also represent the major challenges we jointly face. The advice and experiences you shared at the forum are of great assistance to Taiwan. I also look forward to Taiwan continuing to deepen its cooperation with your countries so that together we can face the various threats posed by authoritarianism.
Over the past several years, we have been promoting the Taiwan-Europe Connectivity Initiative and New Southbound Policy, thereby strengthening economic and trade links with European and New Southbound Policy partner countries. Taiwan is also working closely with the US, Japan, and Australia to expand the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF). This month, we warmly welcomed Canada as a full partner to the GCTF. And going forward, the framework will address even more global issues through exchanges and strengthened cooperation.
We fully appreciate that only by solidarity and cooperation can democratic partners overcome various challenges and form more resilient industrial frameworks and supply chains, averting the threats of expanding authoritarianism.
Your support is indispensable. I wholeheartedly welcome you all to visit as often as possible. Let us work together to uphold our shared values and make even greater contributions to democracy, peace, and prosperity throughout the region and across the globe.
Convenor of the Centre for Research on Strategic and Security Issues Pankaj Saran then delivered remarks, first congratulating President Lai on his reelection, which reflected the wishes of the people and the shared values of democracy, pluralism, and diversity, which all of our countries value very deeply. He wished President Lai and the government all success in realizing Taiwan’s objectives in a challenging regional and global situation. Stating that they believe the people should have the freedom to choose and shape their national policies, he commended the president’s clear vision for the future of Taiwan in this regard.
Convenor Saran, noting that Taiwan is already a global leader in technology and manufacturing, said that President Lai’s pragmatic approach to strengthen Taiwan’s position as a trusted supply chain partner in the field of technology is most commendable. He then spoke on the plan to upgrade Taiwan from a “silicon island” to an “artificial intelligence island,” saying that it is indeed commendable.
Convenor Saran, speaking on behalf of all the panelists at the Ketagalan Forum, said that President Lai’s address was most inspirational and provided them deep insights into the manner in which Taiwan is planning to move ahead. Remarking that this forum has become a respected platform for security and strategic issues in the region which brings together the democratic nations, the convener said that they discussed some of the core security issues, the importance of respecting mutual concerns, peaceful coexistence, and adhering to international law and a rules-based international order. He added that they also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and that it is important to avoid any unilateral actions.
Convenor Saran said that we have to constantly work to de-escalate tensions and to ensure that we maintain peace and stability in the region. He emphasized that since many of us belong to the Indo-Pacific region, it is incumbent upon all countries to participate in the preservation of peace and stability and also to enable Taiwan to lead a life of its own choice.
Convenor Saran noted that there is deep appreciation for the New Southbound Policy that has been promulgated by the government of Taiwan, adding that it gives Taiwan options to diversify its economic choices and reduce dependencies and work with new partners and with new economies. We live in a world in which new powers are emerging, he said, and we need to work towards a multipolar Asia which is free and open and which has a wholesome security architecture.
In closing, Convenor Saran stated that the relationship between India and Taiwan is progressing fast in the areas of technology, skill development, and economic cooperation, and he thanked President Lai for his leadership in this regard.
The delegation also included Chairman of the Northern Europe Policy Centre Artis Pabriks and Member of the Estonian Riigikogu (parliament) Kalle Laanet.