Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Alfred Lipphardt, commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States. In remarks, President Lai thanked the US government and Congress for helping Taiwan strengthen its self-defense capabilities, helping defend our common interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The president noted that as China attempts to intimidate Taiwan politically and militarily, strengthening Taiwan’s security means advancing global security and prosperity. He stated that we will continue to work closely with like-minded countries to safeguard freedom and jointly uphold regional peace, stability, and prosperity. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome Commander-in-Chief Lipphardt as he leads this delegation to Taiwan for exchange. The VFW of the US has a fraternal relationship with Taiwan’s Veterans Affairs Council (VAC). Every year, the VFW invites our VAC to attend and deliver remarks at its National Convention. The VFW has also passed resolutions in support of the Republic of China (Taiwan). I want to thank the VFW for continuing to advance exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan and for deepening our friendship over the years. There is much that Taiwan can learn about veteran care from the United States. For example, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), formed in 1989, is the second-largest US federal agency after the Department of Defense. And the VA’s commitment to providing services and support to veterans is truly admirable. Since taking office, I have visited military bases and presided over important military events on numerous occasions. One memorable instance was a visit to the Taoyuan Veterans Home, where I attended residents’ birthday celebrations. I also thanked them for all they had done for our country and for showing patriotism through their actions. Soldiers go to great lengths to protect the nation and people’s lives and property. It is thus the government’s duty and responsibility to provide for veterans so that they can lead secure and dignified lives and to safeguard their beloved homeland. I want to thank the US government and Congress for helping Taiwan strengthen its self-defense capabilities, establishing robust bilateral economic and trade links, and supporting Taiwan’s international participation. These actions help defend our common interests in the Indo-Pacific region. As China attempts to intimidate Taiwan politically and militarily, strengthening Taiwan’s security means advancing global security and prosperity. We will continue to work closely with like-minded countries to safeguard freedom and jointly uphold regional peace, stability, and prosperity. In closing, I once again thank you all for your visit. I wish you a smooth trip and look forward to even stronger friendship between veterans in Taiwan and the US. Commander-in-Chief Lipphardt then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for giving his time and saying that he is very proud to lead his delegation here. Noting that the very strong relationship between the VFW of the US and VAC of Taiwan dates back to 1980, the commander-in-chief said that at their National Convention in 2023, VAC Deputy Minister Wu Chih-yang (吳志揚) and then-VFW Commander-in-Chief Tim Borland renewed that relationship in a joint proclamation. He also said that a pre-taped video message from then-President Tsai Ing-wen was played for the members in attendance, which was a very proud moment. Commander-in-Chief Lipphardt, mentioning that the VFW will be holding its National Convention in Columbus, Ohio, this coming August, said he hopes President Lai will be able to provide a video address for the event. He also noted that the VFW Department of Pacific Areas will have their convention in Bangkok, Thailand on June 18-21, and that they invite members of the Taiwan VAC to join them at these events. Commander-in-Chief Lipphardt stated that the VFW is very proud to be the only veteran service organization to have a post located here in Taipei. He mentioned that the VFW will also hold a community service project in May, and that they look forward to being joined by US veterans throughout the country who will come and join this meaningful event. Commander-in-Chief Lipphardt stated that the VFW treasures its relationship with Taiwan, adding that Taiwan is a beautiful country with beautiful people. In closing, the commander-in-chief thanked President Lai once again for allowing them to come visit today and said that they look forward to continuing to build our relationship. Also in attendance were National President of the VFW Auxiliary Brenda Bryant, National Chief of Staff of the VFW Jeff Carroll, former National President of the VFW Auxiliary Jane Reape, and Executive Director of the VFW Washington Office Ryan Gallucci.  

On the morning of March 4, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening ceremony of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Workshop on Whole-of-Society Resilience Building, Preparation, and Response. In remarks, President Lai stated that global challenges such as extreme weather, pandemics, and energy crises continue to emerge, and growing authoritarianism presents a grave threat to freedom-loving countries. These challenges have no borders, he said, and absolutely no single country can face them alone. The president said that as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is both willing and able to contribute even more to the democracy, peace, and prosperity of the world, and that the GCTF is an important platform where Taiwan can make those contributions by sharing its experiences with the rest of the world. President Lai indicated that Taiwan will join the forces of the central and local governments to enhance social resilience across the board, enhance disaster response capabilities in the community, and leverage its strengths to make contributions to the international community. He said that we are demonstrating to the world our determination to create an even more resilient Taiwan, and expressed hope to advance mutual assistance and exchanges with all the countries involved, so that we can together promote stability and prosperity around the world. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I would like to welcome more than 60 distinguished guests from 30 countries, as well as experts from Taiwan. You are all here for this GCTF workshop to discuss whole-of-society resilience building, preparation, and response. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is both willing and able to contribute even more to the democracy, peace, and prosperity of the world. The GCTF is an important platform where Taiwan can make those contributions by sharing its experiences with the rest of the world. I want to thank our full GCTF partners, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada. Over the past several years, we have worked with even more countries through this framework and have expanded our exchanges into even more fields. Together, we have met all kinds of new challenges. I am confident that as our cooperation grows stronger, so will our ability to promote global progress. Each of today’s guests is contributing a vital force in that regard. I extend my sincere thanks to you all. Global challenges such as extreme weather, pandemics, and energy crises continue to emerge. And growing authoritarianism presents a grave threat to freedom-loving countries. These challenges have no borders, and absolutely no single country can face them alone. Taiwan holds a key position on the first island chain, and stands at the very frontline of the defense of democracy. With this joint workshop, we are demonstrating to the world our determination to create an even more resilient Taiwan. We are also aiming to advance our mutual assistance and exchanges with all the countries involved, so that we can make our societies more resilient and together promote stability and prosperity around the world. Moving forward, we will continue advancing the following three initiatives: First, we will join the forces of the central and local governments to enhance social resilience across the board. Just last year, I established the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee at the Presidential Office. Civilian force training, strategic material preparation, and critical infrastructure operation and maintenance are all key discussion areas for our committee. These aim to enhance Taiwan’s resilience in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. They are also items on the agenda for this GCTF workshop. To cover all the bases, Taiwan must unite and cooperate as a team. Last year, our committee held the very first cross-sector tabletop exercise at the Presidential Office which included central and local government officials as well as civilian observers. We aim to test the government’s emergency response capabilities in high-intensity gray-zone operations and near-conflict situations. We will continue to hold exercises to help the central and local governments work together more efficiently, and strengthen Taiwan’s overall disaster response capabilities. Second is to enhance disaster response capabilities in the community. We fully understand that to build whole-of-society resilience, we must help people increase risk awareness, know how to respond to disasters, and develop abilities to help themselves, help one another, and work together. We are grateful to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) for collaborating with the Taiwan Development Association for Disaster Medical Teams to host “Take Action” workshops around the country since 2021. A 2.0 version is already in practice, and continues to train the public in first aid skills. Director of the AIT Taipei Office Raymond Greene and I took part in a Take Action event in New Taipei City last year and personally saw the positive outcomes of the training. In addition to the Take Action workshops, the government is also providing Disaster Relief Volunteer training for ages 11 to 89, and is continuing to expand its target audience. We have also set up Taiwan Community Emergency Response Teams at key facilities nationwide, enhancing the ability of these important facilities to respond independently to disasters. Civilian training will continue to be refined and expanded so that members of the public can serve as important partners in government-led disaster prevention and relief. Third, we will leverage Taiwan’s strengths to make contributions to the international community. The inspiration for our Disaster Relief Volunteer training comes from a similar program run by The Nippon Care-Fit Education Institute in Japan. I am confident that through exchanges like this workshop, Taiwan and other countries can also inspire one another in many areas, and enhance whole-of-society resilience in multiple ways. Taiwan also excels in information and communications and advanced technology. We will set up even more robust cybersecurity systems, expand usage of emerging technologies, and improve the ways we maintain domestic security. We hope that by leveraging our capabilities and sharing our experiences, Taiwan can contribute even more to the international community. I want to welcome all our partners once again, and thank AIT for co-hosting this event. Let’s continue down the path of advancing global security and developing resilience together. Because together, we can travel farther, and we can travel longer. Also in attendance at the event were Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Deputy Representative Takaba Yo, Australian Office in Taipei Representative Robert Fergusson, and Canadian Trade Office in Taipei Executive Director Jim Nickel.

On the morning of February 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by former United States Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger. In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation for demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan through their visit. The president pointed out that increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. He emphasized that only by bolstering our defense capabilities can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. The president stated that moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. He also expressed hope of strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership and jointly building secure and resilient non-red supply chains so as to ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome our good friends Mr. Pottinger and retired US Rear Admiral Mr. Mark Montgomery to Taiwan once again. Last June, Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Ivan Kanapathy came to Taiwan to launch their new book The Boiling Moat. During that visit, they also visited the Presidential Office. We held an extensive exchange of views on Taiwan-US relations and regional affairs right here in the Taiwan Heritage Room. Now, as we meet again eight months later, I am pleased to learn that Mr. Kanapathy is now serving on the White House National Security Council. The Mandarin translation of The Boiling Moat is also due to be released in Taiwan very soon. This book offers insightful observations from US experts regarding US-China-Taiwan relations and valuable advice for the strengthening of Taiwan’s national defense, security, and overall resilience. I am sure that Taiwanese readers will benefit greatly from it. I understand that this is Mr. Montgomery’s fourth visit to Taiwan and that he has long paid close attention to Taiwan-related issues. I look forward to an in-depth discussion with our two friends on the future direction of Taiwan-US relations and cooperation. Increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. One notion we all share is peace through strength. That is, only by bolstering our defense capabilities and fortifying our defenses can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. We also hope to strengthen the Taiwan-US partnership in such fields as security, trade and the economy, and energy. In addition, we will advance cooperation in critical and innovative technologies and jointly build secure and resilient non-red supply chains. This will ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. We believe that closer Taiwan-US exchanges and cooperation not only benefit national security and development but also align with the common economic interests of Taiwan and the US. I want to thank Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Montgomery once again for visiting and for continuing to advance Taiwan-US exchanges, demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan. Let us continue to work together to deepen Taiwan-US relations. I wish you a smooth and fruitful visit.  Mr. Pottinger then delivered remarks, first congratulating President Lai on his one-year election anniversary and on the state of the economy, which, he added, is doing quite well. Mentioning President Lai’s recent statement pledging to increase Taiwan’s defense budget to above 3 percent of GDP, Mr. Pottinger said he thinks that the benchmark is equal to what the US spends on its defense and that it is a good starting point for both countries to build deterrence. Echoing the president’s earlier remarks, Mr. Pottinger said that peace through strength is the right path for the US and for Taiwan right now at a moment when autocratic, aggressive governments are on the march. He then paraphrased the words of former US President George Washington in his first inaugural address, saying that the best way to keep the peace is to be prepared at all times for war, which captures the meaning of peace through strength. In closing, he said he looks forward to exchanging views with President Lai.

On November 29 (US EST), the United States government announced that it had notified Congress of the sale to Taiwan of two military packages: a US$320 million sale of spare parts and support for F-16 aircraft and Active Electronically Scanned Array radar spare parts and support; and a US$65 million sale of Improved Mobile Subscriber Equipment Follow-on Support and related equipment. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that the Presidential Office is sincerely grateful to the US government for its unwavering commitment to continue to strengthen the cooperative partnership between Taiwan and the US and support Taiwan in enhancing self-defense capabilities in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances.  Spokesperson Kuo stated that this marks the 18th military sale to Taiwan announced during the Biden administration since 2021, emphasizing that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The spokesperson said that in the face of mounting security challenges in the region, Taiwan will continue to enhance self-defense capabilities and work alongside like-minded countries to jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

On October 25 (US EST), the United States government announced that it had notified Congress of the US$1.988 billion sale to Taiwan of three military packages, including the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System as well as L-band and non-L-band radar turnkey systems. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on October 26 stated that strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities is the foundation for maintaining regional stability. The spokesperson said that the Presidential Office is grateful to the US government for continuing to provide Taiwan with the weaponry it needs in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. Spokesperson Kuo stated that this marks the 17th military sale to Taiwan announced during the Biden administration since 2021, as well as the largest single military sale since President Biden took office, demonstrating the unwavering commitment of the US government to the security of Taiwan. She emphasized that Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities as it works to maintain the rules-based international order, ensuring the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

On the afternoon of March 13, President Lai Ching-te convened a high-level national security meeting, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth. President Lai emphasized that in the face of increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and expressed hope that all citizens unite in solidarity to resist being divided. The president also expressed hope that citizens work together to increase media literacy, organize and participate in civic education activities, promptly expose concerted united front efforts, and refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, he said, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: At many venues recently, a number of citizens have expressed similar concerns to me. They have noticed cases in which members of the military, both active-duty and retired, have been bought out by China, sold intelligence, or even organized armed forces with plans to harm their own nation and its citizens. They have noticed cases in which entertainers willingly followed instructions from Beijing to claim that their country is not a country, all for the sake of personal career interests. They have noticed how messaging used by Chinese state media to stir up internal opposition in Taiwan is always quickly spread by specific channels. There have even been individuals making careers out of helping Chinese state media record united front content, spreading a message that democracy is useless and promoting skepticism toward the United States and the military to sow division and opposition. Many people worry that our country, as well as our hard-won freedom and democracy and the prosperity and progress we achieved together, are being washed away bit by bit due to these united front tactics. In an analysis of China’s united front, renowned strategic scholar Kerry K. Gershaneck expressed that China plans to divide and conquer us through subversion, infiltration, and acquisition of media, and by launching media warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. What they are trying to do is to sow seeds of discord in our society, keep us occupied with internal conflicts, and cause us to ignore the real threat from outside. China’s ambition over the past several decades to annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China has not changed for even a day. It continues to pursue political and military intimidation, and its united front infiltration of Taiwan’s society grows ever more serious. In 2005, China promulgated its so-called “Anti-Secession Law,” which makes using military force to annex Taiwan a national undertaking. Last June, China issued a 22-point set of “guidelines for punishing Taiwan independence separatists,” which regards all those who do not accept that “Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China” as targets for punishment, creating excuses to harm the people of Taiwan. China has also recently been distorting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, showing in all aspects China’s increasingly urgent threat against Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lately, China has been taking advantage of democratic Taiwan’s freedom, diversity, and openness to recruit gangs, the media, commentators, political parties, and even active-duty and retired members of the armed forces and police to carry out actions to divide, destroy, and subvert us from within. A report from the National Security Bureau indicates that 64 persons were charged last year with suspicion of spying for China, which was three times the number of persons charged for the same offense in 2021. Among them, the Unionist Party, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government formed treasonous organizations to deploy armed forces for China. In a democratic and free society, such cases are appalling. But this is something that actually exists within Taiwan’s society today. China also actively plots ways to infiltrate and spy on our military. Last year, 28 active-duty and 15 retired members of the armed forces were charged with suspicion of involvement in spying for China, respectively comprising 43 percent and 23 percent of all of such cases – 66 percent in total. We are also alert to the fact that China has recently used widespread issuance of Chinese passports to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for the Residence Permit for Taiwan Residents, permanent residency, or the Resident Identity Card, in an attempt to muddle Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity. China also views cross-strait exchanges as a channel for its united front against Taiwan, marking enemies in Taiwan internally, creating internal divisions, and weakening our sense of who the enemy really is. It intends to weaken public authority and create the illusion that China is “governing” Taiwan, thereby expanding its influence within Taiwan. We are also aware that China has continued to expand its strategy of integrated development with Taiwan. It employs various methods to demand and coerce Taiwanese businesses to increase their investments in China, entice Taiwanese youth to develop their careers in China, and unscrupulously seeks to poach Taiwan’s talent and steal key technologies. Such methods impact our economic security and greatly increase the risk of our young people heading to China. By its actions, China already satisfies the definition of a “foreign hostile force” as provided in the Anti-Infiltration Act. We have no choice but to take even more proactive measures, which is my purpose in convening this high-level national security meeting today. It is time we adopt proper preventive measures, enhance our democratic resilience and national security, and protect our cherished free and democratic way of life. Next, I will be giving a detailed account of the five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces and the 17 major strategies we have prepared in response. I. Responding to China’s threats to our national sovereignty We have a nation insofar as we have sovereignty, and we have the Republic of China insofar as we have Taiwan. Just as I said during my inaugural address last May, and in my National Day address last October: The moment when Taiwan’s first democratically elected president took the oath of office in 1996 sent a message to the international community, that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent, democratic nation. Among people here and in the international community, some call this land the Republic of China, some call it Taiwan, and some, the Republic of China Taiwan. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and Taiwan resists any annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty. The future of the Republic of China Taiwan must be decided by its 23 million people. This is the status quo that we must maintain. The broadest consensus in Taiwanese society is that we must defend our sovereignty, uphold our free and democratic way of life, and resolutely oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (1) I request that the National Security Council (NSC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), and the administrative team do their utmost to promote the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to demonstrate the people’s broad consensus and firm resolve, consistent across the entirety of our nation, to oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (2) I request that the NSC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draft an action plan that will, through collaboration with our friends and allies, convey to the world our national will and broad social consensus in opposing annexation of Taiwan by China and in countering China’s efforts to erase Taiwan from the international community and downgrade Taiwan’s sovereignty. II. Responding to China’s threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting our military (1) Comprehensively review and amend our Law of Military Trial to restore the military trial system, allowing military judges to return to the frontline and collaborate with prosecutorial, investigative, and judicial authorities in the handling of criminal cases in which active-duty military personnel are suspected of involvement in such military crimes as sedition, aiding the enemy, leaking confidential information, dereliction of duty, or disobedience. In the future, criminal cases involving active-duty military personnel who are suspected of violating the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces will be tried by a military court. (2) Implement supporting reforms, including the establishment of a personnel management act for military judges and separate organization acts for military courts and military prosecutors’ offices. Once planning and discussion are completed, the MND will fully explain to and communicate with the public to ensure that the restoration of the military trial system gains the trust and full support of society. (3) To deter the various types of controversial rhetoric and behavior exhibited by active-duty as well as retired military personnel that severely damage the morale of our national military, the MND must discuss and propose an addition to the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces on penalties for expressions of loyalty to the enemy as well as revise the regulations for military personnel and their families receiving retirement benefits, so as to uphold military discipline. III. Responding to China’s threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan (1) I request that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and other relevant agencies, wherever necessary, carry out inspections and management of the documents involving identification that Taiwanese citizens apply for in China, including: passports, ID cards, permanent residence certificates, and residence certificates, especially when the applicants are military personnel, civil servants, or public school educators, who have an obligation of loyalty to Taiwan. This will be done to strictly prevent and deter united front operations, which are performed by China under the guise of “integrated development,” that attempt to distort our people’s national identity. (2) With respect to naturalization and integration of individuals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau into Taiwanese society, more national security considerations must be taken into account while also attending to Taiwan’s social development and individual rights: Chinese nationals applying for permanent residency in Taiwan must, in accordance with the law of Taiwan, relinquish their existing household registration and passport and may not hold dual identity status. As for the systems in place to process individuals from Hong Kong or Macau applying for residency or permanent residency in Taiwan, there will be additional provisions for long-term residency to meet practical needs. IV. Responding to China’s threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges  (1) There are increasing risks involved with travel to China. (From January 1, 2024 to today, the MAC has received reports of 71 Taiwanese nationals who went missing, were detained, interrogated, or imprisoned in China; the number of unreported people who have been subjected to such treatment may be several times that. Of those, three elderly I-Kuan Tao members were detained in China in December of last year and have not yet been released.) In light of this, relevant agencies must raise public awareness of those risks, continue enhancing public communication, and implement various registration systems to reduce the potential for accidents and the risks associated with traveling to China. (2) Implement a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public officials at all levels of the central and local government. This includes everyone from administrative officials to elected representatives, from legislators to village and neighborhood chiefs, all of whom should make the information related to such exchanges both public and transparent so that they can be accountable to the people. The MOI should also establish a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public welfare organizations, such as religious groups, in order to prevent China’s interference and united front activities at their outset. (3) Manage the risks associated with individuals from China engaging in exchanges with Taiwan: Review and approval of Chinese individuals coming to Taiwan should be limited to normal cross-strait exchanges and official interactions under the principles of parity and dignity, and relevant factors such as changes in the cross-strait situation should be taken into consideration. Strict restrictions should be placed on Chinese individuals who have histories with the united front coming to Taiwan, and Chinese individuals should be prohibited from coming to Taiwan to conduct activities related in any way to the united front. (4) Political interference from China and the resulting risks to national security should be avoided in cross-strait exchanges. This includes the review and management of religious, cultural, academic, and education exchanges, which should in principle be depoliticized and de-risked so as to simplify people-to-people exchanges and promote healthy and orderly exchanges. (5) To deter the united front tactics of a cultural nature employed by Chinese nationals to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, the Executive Yuan must formulate a solution to make our local cultural industries more competitive, including enhanced support and incentives for our film, television, and cultural and creative industries to boost their strengths in democratic cultural creation, raise international competitiveness, and encourage research in Taiwan’s own history and culture. (6) Strengthen guidance and management for entertainers developing their careers in China. The competent authorities should provide entertainers with guidelines on conduct while working in China, and make clear the scope of investigation and response to conduct that endangers national dignity. This will help prevent China from pressuring Taiwanese entertainers to make statements or act in ways that endanger national dignity. (7) The relevant authorities must adopt proactive, effective measures to prevent China from engaging in cognitive warfare against Taiwan or endangering cybersecurity through the internet, applications, AI, and other such tools. (8) To implement these measures, each competent authority must run a comprehensive review of the relevant administrative ordinances, measures, and interpretations, and complete the relevant regulations for legal enforcement. Should there be any shortcomings, the legal framework for national security should be strengthened and amendments to the National Security Act, Anti-Infiltration Act, Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, or Cyber Security Management Act should be proposed. Communication with the public should also be increased so that implementation can happen as soon as possible. V. Responding to threats from China using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth (1) I request that the NSC and administrative agencies work together to carry out strategic structural adjustments to the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and China based on the strategies of putting Taiwan first and expanding our global presence while staying rooted in Taiwan. In addition, they should carry out necessary, orderly adjustments to the flow of talent, goods, money, and skills involved in cross-strait economic and trade relations based on the principle of strengthening Taiwan’s foundations to better manage risk. This will help boost economic security and give us more power to respond to China’s economic and trade united front and economic coercion against Taiwan. (2) I request that the Ministry of Education, MAC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other relevant agencies work together to comprehensively strengthen young students’ literacy education on China and deepen their understanding of cross-strait exchanges. I also request these agencies to widely publicize mechanisms for employment and entrepreneurship for Taiwan’s youth and provide ample information and assistance so that young students have more confidence in the nation’s future and more actively invest in building up and developing Taiwan. My fellow citizens, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. History tells us that any authoritarian act of aggression or annexation will ultimately end in failure. The only way we can safeguard freedom and prevail against authoritarian aggression is through solidarity. As we face increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and to ensure that the freedom, democracy, and way of life of Taiwan’s 23 million people continues on as normal. But relying solely on the power of the government is not enough. What we need even more is for all citizens to stay vigilant and take action. Every citizen stands on the frontline of the defense of democracy and freedom. Here is what we can do together: First, we can increase our media literacy, and refrain from spreading and passing on united front messaging from the Chinese state. Second, we can organize and participate in civic education activities to increase our knowledge about united front operations and build up whole-of-society defense resilience. Third, we can promptly expose concerted united front efforts so that all malicious attempts are difficult to carry out. Fourth, we must refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. The vigilance and action of every citizen forms the strongest line of defense against united front infiltration. Only through solidarity can we resist being divided. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us.