Taiwan can learn from Israel’s experience in all-out defense, and bolster cooperation in fields including economics and cybersecurity, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said during a meeting with an Israeli delegation yesterday.
The delegation, comprising six Israeli lawmakers, is in Taiwan for a six-day visit until Tuesday next week.
As military service is mandatory for all Israeli citizens, Taiwan can learn much from the country to promote its own all-out national defense, Tsai said.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
Taiwan and Israel are facing challenges and threats posed by authoritarianism, but remain calm and composed, she said.
The two countries not only continue to prosper and grow economically and socially, but have also developed strong social resilience, she added.
Taiwan and Israel are important trading partners with complementary industrial advantages, Tsai said, adding that she hopes the two sides can work together to create a safer and more resilient democratic supply chain.
She also called for closer cooperation in cybersecurity, as Israel is a world leader in the field.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel-Aviv, Tsai said.
Over the three decades, Taiwan and Israel have signed 32 agreements in science and technology, healthcare, aerospace and other areas, which have yielded fruitful outcomes, she said.
The two sides in May signed the Agreement on a Working Holiday Scheme, which promotes exchanges between young people from both countries and new opportunities for cooperation, she said.
Israeli Legislator Yorai Lahav Hertzanu said that Taiwan and Israel have a robust relationship based on their shared interests, values and ideas.
“Our societies both believe in liberal democratic values and equality, are resilient and innovative, and have vibrant civil society organizations,” Lahav Hertzanu said.
The two representative offices are crucial institutions that promote civilian cooperation in the fields of medicine and healthcare, the economy, technology, the environment and agriculture, he said.
Taiwan is an important economic partner, he said, adding that he hopes more Taiwanese businesses would invest in Israel, such as opening research and development centers in the country.
A combination of Taiwan’s strengths in hardware and Israel’s advantages in software can stimulate greater cooperation, he said.
Lahav Hertzanu also praised Taiwan’s global leadership on gender equality.
The achievement sent a clear and direct message to young people in Taiwan and around the world that “people can chase and achieve their dreams; gender is not an obstacle,” he said.
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