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On the morning of March 16, President Lai Ching-te attended the opening of the 2026 Yushan Forum, the theme of which was "Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan's Values, Technology, and Resilience." In remarks, the president noted that Taiwan is home to world-leading advanced semiconductor manufacturing and solid IC design capabilities, and is determined to maintain regional peace and stability. He expressed hope that by leveraging the combined advantages of their democracies, economies, and technologies, Taiwan and its democratic partners can work together to build more resilient supply chains and economies, as well as collectively support the democratic umbrella and promote global democracy, peace, and prosperity.
A transcript of President Lai's remarks follows:
I would like to begin with a warm welcome to all our good friends who have traveled from the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and other parts of the world to be here. This marks the ninth Yushan Forum, and this is an important milestone, because in our culture, the number nine symbolizes longevity and sustainability.
In these times of global uncertainty, it's especially meaningful, for both Taiwan and the world, that we have gathered here to exchange ideas and discuss plans of action.
I want to thank Minister [of Foreign Affairs] Lin [Chia-lung] (林佳龍), [Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation] Chairman Hsiao [Hsin-huang] (蕭新煌), and all our partners for their hard work organizing this year's gathering. It is through your vast knowledge, keen initiative, and passion for dynamic diplomacy that the Yushan Forum continues to reach new heights year after year.
Our theme this year is “Indo-Pacific Partnership Prospects: Taiwan's Values, Technology, and Resilience." Taiwan remains determined to build on the foundations of our New Southbound Policy through concrete action. We will continue to expand and deepen our partnerships with New Southbound and other Indo-Pacific nations, as well as democracies around the world. Through these partnerships, we hope to foster a more prosperous future together.
Taiwan strongly believes that there is no freedom without solidarity. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of Poland Lech Walesa, who has lived by these words, is joining us here today. In 1980, he founded the trade union Solidarity, paving the way for democracy and reform in Poland – a true testament to the power of solidarity.
Since I took office nearly two years ago, Taiwan has been committed to uniting partners in democracy to collectively support a democratic umbrella. Our goal is to shield like-minded nations from the threats posed by authoritarian expansion, while working in solidarity to promote global democracy, peace, and prosperity.
We can all see that today's Taiwan has moved away from a reliance on the Chinese market. In 2010, up to 83.8 percent of Taiwan's outbound investment went to China. But last year, that figure fell to a historic low of just 3.75 percent. We are continuing to expand our presence in global markets. Over the past decade, investment by Taiwanese enterprises in EU countries has jumped by 650 percent.
Last year, the US became Taiwan's largest export market, with exports to the US growing by 78 percent. In the same year, exports to New Southbound countries increased by 30.5 percent. These figures reflect the results of Taiwan's efforts to diversify our markets and deepen economic and trade relations with countries around the world.
We strongly hope that by leveraging the combined advantages of our democracies, economies, and technologies, Taiwan and our democratic partners can work together to build more resilient supply chains and economies.
Taiwan is home to world-leading advanced semiconductor manufacturing and solid IC design capabilities. And as we meet the AI era head on, we are also actively pursuing R&D in the key fields of silicon photonics, quantum technology, and robotics. Whether it's in helping to build global non-red supply chains for semiconductors, or leading the way in tech development around the world, Taiwan will always play a major role.
Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. That is why, as we face rapid changes in global geopolitics, non-conventional threats, and intensifying gray-zone aggression, Taiwan is determined to maintain regional peace and stability. We stand ready to work alongside fellow democracies to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve peace through strength.
To that end, we have proposed a special defense budget and are expanding investment in defense. Defense spending, as defined by NATO, will be 3.32 percent of GDP this year, and we expect it to reach 5 percent of GDP by 2030. We are also accelerating the building of asymmetric capabilities and greatly enhancing whole-of-society defense and resilience, so that we can respond to any threat or challenge.
Taiwan is willing to share our experiences with other countries, and we are capable of contributing even more to the world. So let me thank everyone for attending. With you joining the discussion on issues of mutual concern, we can pool our knowledge and channel it into an even greater force.
As we move forward, Taiwan will form national teams in specific fields to keep making our nation stronger. But we will go beyond that, by building international teams to keep leveraging the power of solidarity with other nations. This will make the world more stable, prosperous, and sustainable. Each of you is an important friend of Taiwan. I invite everyone to advance together with Taiwan to realize the vision of democracy, peace, and prosperity.
To close, I wish this gathering great success. May our partnerships continue to endure and thrive. Thank you.
Also in attendance at the event were former Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji Mahendra Chaudhry, Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji, and members of the foreign diplomatic corps stationed in Taiwan.
