Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) yesterday spoke of the goals and vision of the soon-to-be established Democratic Pacific Union (DPU), and expressed confidence that the union would help secure the long-term stability of the Pacific region.
The DPU, which is Lu's brainchild, aims to serve as a platform for personnel and resource exchanges around the Pacific Rim and to promote democracy, ensure peace and spread prosperity.
"Without democracy, there can be no peace. Without democracy and peace, there can be no prosperity ... the three will be the core values of the DPU," she said.
Lu made the remarks yesterday in a speech via teleconference to participants attending an Asia-Pacific regional meeting in Tokyo.
While the Pacific region includes the fastest-growing economies in the world, there are still remnants of conflict from the Cold War era, Lu said. Major issues such as North Korea's nuclear ambitions and Chinese aggression continue to threaten both regional and global stability, she said.
"The development of a regional, cross-Pacific organization to promote the values of democracy, peace and prosperity is therefore not only an urgent matter for today, but also important in terms of helping secure long-term global stability," Lu said.
The DPU will be officially established in Taipei on Aug. 14, which will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. Leaders from the political, academic and civic fields from more than 20 countries will attend the organization's inauguration, Lu said.
"It's not easy to establish a regional organization," she said."It is especially [difficult] for Taiwan to be the host country given its limited diplomatic allies, and the threats it faces from an abominable neighbor, China."
"Yet we brave the hardships and through our efforts we hope to let all nations in the Pacific Rim come to identify with the ideals of a democratic Pacific," Lu said.
Noting that "it is rather significant the meeting could be held in Japan, which does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan," Lu expressed gratitude to the Japan-Taiwan Parliamentary Amity Association, which helped organize the event in Tokyo.
She said each member country would have three representatives.
The DPU International Secretariat is planning to establish three institutes, Lu said -- the Institute for Democracy, the Institute for Peace and the Institute for Prosperity -- as well as centers for women's development, marine development and disaster prevention.
Yesterday's meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates from Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS