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President Tsai Ing-wen met with participants in the annual Yushan Forum on the morning of October 11. She said that the forum is a platform to increase dialogue and exchanges between Taiwan and the international community, and hopes that everyone will continue to support Taiwan's New Southbound Policy and foster regional peace and prosperity.
In remarks, President Tsai stated that it was a pleasure to welcome the many distinguished guests from different fields to attend this year's Yushan Forum. Through forum discussions, she said, Taiwan can work with like-minded friends in the international community to ensure that progressive values continue to shape the future of our region.
The president pointed out that Taiwan is pivotally located in Asia. We have forged solid economic and trade relations with neighboring countries, and have developed ever closer people-to-people exchanges in the age of globalization. The joint pursuit of sustainable prosperity and development through civilian exchanges has always been one of the consistent core values of our people-centered New Southbound Policy. This is why we have prioritized talent cultivation and resource sharing, helping New Southbound countries train future talent in fields like public health, agriculture, environmental protection, and green energy.
President Tsai also mentioned that climate change is having an increasingly severe impact on our region and worldwide. Through collaboration based on the principles of mutual benefit and co-prosperity, we hope to share our experience and resources in the areas of technology, disaster prevention, and water resources with New Southbound countries so that together, we can create a sustainable environment.
The president mentioned that Mr. Kailash Satyarthi (Founder of India's Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation), who was also on hand, stated in his acceptance speech upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 that, "in the pursuit of global progress, not a single person should be left out or left behind in any corner of the world." Similarly, she said, along Asia's path toward progress and prosperity, not a single country, society, or person in the region should be left behind. Taiwan will continue to work together with the guests and like-minded countries, the president stated.
President Tsai closed her remarks by once again thanking her guests for participating in the Yushan Forum, and stated that through this platform, Taiwan can engage in greater dialogue and exchanges with the international community. She also expressed hope that the participants will continue to support our New Southbound Policy, and work together for regional peace and prosperity.
Guests also included Jane Nishida, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of International and Tribal Affairs; Atul Keshap, Vice Chancellor of the College of International Security Affairs at the National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, DC; Kasit Piromya, former Thailand Foreign Minister; Enrique Ona, former Philippine Secretary of Health; Law Choo Kiang, Speaker of the Penang Legislative Assembly in Malaysia; Nguyen Hong Son, President of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Bonnie S. Glaser, Director of the China Power Project at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies; Jonathan Stromseth, Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies in the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at the US Brookings Institute; Cyril Ritchie, First Vice President of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO); and Carmencita Abella, President of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation in the Philippines.
