US President Barack Obama acknowledged Taiwan as a “thriving” democracy for the first time on Saturday in a speech on the US’ policy in Asia that he gave at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where he was attending the G20 summit.
In the speech, Obama said that Americans believe in democratic government and “that the only real source of legitimacy is the consent of the people.”
“There are times where, when we speak out on these issues, we are told that democracy is just a Western value. I fundamentally disagree with that. Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, they have built thriving democracies,” he said. “And so here in Asia and around the world, America supports free and fair elections, because citizens must be free to choose their own leaders.”
“We support freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, a free and open Internet, strong civil societies, because the voices of the people must be heard and leaders must be held accountable — even though it’s uncomfortable sometimes,” he said, adding that “people in Hong Kong are speaking out for their universal rights,” in a reference to the pro-democracy protests there.
Obama said that when he took power, the leaders and people of the Asia-Pacific region voiced a “desire for greater American engagement” in the area.
“So as president, I decided that — given the importance of this region to American security, to American prosperity — the United States would rebalance our foreign policy and play a larger and lasting role in this region,” he said.
“Our rebalance is not only about the United States doing more in Asia, it’s also about the Asia-Pacific region doing more with us around the world,” the president added.
In the areas of economics and finance, Washington is looking to help nascent powers, such as Vietnam, instigate reforms of their economies and enhance their maritime capacity, while working with APEC member nations to “tear down barriers to trade and investment” and fight corruption, Obama said.
The US is also committed to fostering ties to regional blocs and institutions, such as by helping make the East Asia summit the Asia-Pacific area’s “leading forum for addressing political and security challenges,” and by supporting ASEAN’s effort to strike a code of conduct agreement with China that would bolster international law in the disputed South China Sea, Obama said.
Washington wants to continue seeking a symbiotic relationship with Beijing, since China is set to “by virtue of its size and its remarkable growth … inevitably play a critical role in the future of this region,” Obama said.
He concluded the talk by saying that the US is dedicated to building a future in conjunction with not only the region’s nations, but also its people, based on shared values and vowing that in the pursuit of security, prosperity and dignity, the region “will have no greater friend than the United States of America.”
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old