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On the afternoon of March 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by former President Lech Walesa of Poland. In remarks, President Lai thanked former President Walesa for always standing with Taiwan over the past 30 years, noting that the former president has witnessed Taiwan’s democratization process and seen it overcome various challenges to become a force for good in the world. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Poland will deepen cooperation in areas such as democratic defense and societal resilience, trade and the economy, technology, and supply chain security, working together to make even greater contributions to democracy and peace in the world. He emphasized that Taiwan will continue to work with and support like-minded countries to safeguard regional peace and stability and promote global prosperity and development.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
Today, on behalf of our nation and people, I am deeply honored to welcome former President Walesa, a pioneer of Poland’s democratic movement, who is visiting Taiwan for the seventh time. Former President Walesa’s journey is truly admirable. He went from bravely opposing authoritarian rule to being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; from being a leader of the democratic movement to becoming the first democratically elected president after Poland’s democratization. His personal experience tells the world that freedom is never a gift from the powers that be, and that democracy is not a historical accident. As long as the people do not give up hope and society unites against external forces, though faced with high authoritarian walls, the will to freedom will ultimately break through.
Taiwan is no stranger to the path Poland has traversed. We have both struggled under authoritarian rule, moving step by step toward democracy. Poland is a pioneer of democratization in Eastern Europe, while Taiwan is a model of peaceful transition. Precisely because we have trod the same path, we know better than anyone that democracy does not fall from the sky, and that it requires the joint guardianship of generation after generation.
This year is the 30th anniversary of our first direct presidential election. Thirty years ago, under military threat from missiles, the people of Taiwan did not yield, but resolutely cast their sacred votes to complete the first direct presidential election in Taiwan’s history. From that moment on, the belief that sovereignty rests in the hands of the people has taken deep root in this land.
In 1996, at a crucial moment when Taiwan had just completed its first direct presidential election and experienced the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, former President Walesa first visited Taiwan and delivered a speech at our Legislative Yuan, providing great encouragement and support to our people through his concrete actions. In his speech, while not disregarding the dangers that exist in the modern world, former President Walesa stated his belief that “‘good’ will prevail.” Over these past 30 years, former President Walesa has visited Taiwan numerous times, witnessing Taiwan’s democratization process and seeing Taiwan overcome various threats and challenges to become a force for good in the world.
Taiwan is determined to continue as a force for good and become a contributor to global democratic resilience. We believe that in the face of rapid changes in global geopolitics, non-conventional threats, and intensifying gray-zone aggression, like-minded countries must work together and support one another to safeguard regional peace and stability and promote global prosperity and development. We look forward to Taiwan and Poland deepening cooperation, whether in areas such as democratic defense and societal resilience, or in trade and the economy, technology, and supply chain security, working together to make even greater contributions to democracy and peace in the world.
Once again, I want to thank former President Walesa for always standing with Taiwan over the past 30 years. May Taiwan and Poland continue to demonstrate their determination to defend freedom and become a steadfast force for the safeguarding of democracy, and may we continue to shine the light of democracy around the world. I wish former President Walesa a smooth and successful visit.
Former President Walesa then delivered remarks, first noting that this generation has experienced many changes and now faces opportunities for prosperity and peace. He expressed his pleasure in engaging in dialogue and exchange with other countries through the Yushan Forum and exploring current international developments from diverse perspectives.
Former President Walesa stated that he has on multiple occasions publicly called on China not to take wrong actions against Taiwan, emphasizing that this generation should pursue peace and prosperity together through sustained dialogue and exchange. He stressed that he has always stood with Taiwan and will continue to support Taiwan. He noted that Taiwan and Poland face similarly difficult situations, but solutions should not be provided by outside parties. Rather, the future of Taiwan should be decided by the people of Taiwan themselves. He said he looks forward to further exchanges with all sectors of society.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Director of the Polish Office in Taipei Janusz Henryk Bilski.
