President William Lai (賴清德) made repeated calls for cross-strait peace in his inaugural address on Monday, including a direct appeal to Beijing to resume tourism and student exchange.
Fresh from being sworn in at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Lai in his speech set the tenor of his coming four years in office with an emphasis on peace and domestic unity.
“The future of cross-strait relations will have a decisive impact on the world. This means that we, who have inherited a democratic Taiwan, are pilots for peace,” he said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
While calling on Beijing to cease its intimidation and thanking the world for its support, Lai proposed his “Four Pillars of Peace” in dealing with the Chinese threat.
The action plan involves strengthening national defense, improving economic security, stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and values-based diplomacy, Lai said.
“Peace is the only option. And prosperity, gained through lasting peace and stability, is our objective,” he said in the speech that mentioned “peace” 23 times.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Urging Beijing to face the reality of the Republic of China’s existence, Lai suggested starting from the resumption of reciprocal cross-strait tourism and enrollment of degree students in Taiwan.
Beijing in 2019 halted individual travel to Taiwan, followed by a full suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It last year unilaterally opened to travelers from Taiwan, resulting in calls for proper reciprocal dialogue from Taipei as a prerequisite to resuming tourism.
To open his speech, Lai recalled his former career as a physician.
“When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I went into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. Now, standing here, I am determined to strengthen the nation,” he said.
He quickly addressed the results of the election, which left his ruling Democratic Progressive Party with an unprecedented third consecutive term, but no party with a majority in the legislature.
“I want to say to everyone that this new structure is a result of the people’s choice,” he said. “Looking at it with a different frame of mind, a lack of absolute majority means that the ruling and opposition parties are now all able to share their ideas, and that we will be undertaking the nation’s challenges as one.”
Lai urged the parties to meet the people’s “high expectations for rational governance” and put national interests ahead of party interests, proposing legislation “that conforms with our Constitution.”
The appeal comes days after dramatic scenes in the legislature on Friday that resulted in five lawmakers being taken to a hospital. The brawls erupted over legislative reform bills proposed by the opposition that would enable greater oversight of the Executive Yuan, including a proposal to criminalize officials who are deemed to make false statements in the legislature.
In regards to industrial development, Lai emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and Taiwan’s key role as a semiconductor manufacturing powerhouse, as well as the goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“As we meet the global challenges of adopting more and more smart technologies, we in Taiwan, a ‘silicon island,’ must do all we can to expedite Taiwan’s transformation into an ‘AI island,’” he said, calling for the widespread adoption of AI to strengthen the nation, military, workforce and economy.
The new president named “Five Trusted Industry Sectors” to be the focus of development: semiconductors, AI, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications.
He also announced his “National Project of Hope,” a sweeping policy aimed at providing government support to people in all stages of life.
The project would continue the caregiving, housing, social and reform services of the previous administration, while addressing cost of living issues, the wealth gap and low pay, among other domestic issues of concern, Lai said.
“I understand the concerns and expectations of the people of Taiwan. As to the issues you are concerned with and the reform society needs, the government will do its utmost to achieve solutions,” he said.
He concluded by acknowledging the new residents who have made Taiwan their home, as well as the foreign guests in attendance.
“Some call this land the Republic of China, some call it the Republic of China Taiwan, and some, Taiwan, but whichever of these names we ourselves or our international friends choose to call our nation, we will resonate and shine all the same,” he said. “So let us overcome our differences and stride forward, with our shared aspirations, to meet the world.”
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
A Vietnamese migrant worker yesterday won NT$12 million (US$379,627) on a Lunar New Year scratch card in Kaohsiung as part of Taiwan Lottery Co’s (台灣彩券) “NT$12 Million Grand Fortune” (1200萬大吉利) game. The man was the first top-prize winner of the new game launched on Jan. 6 to mark the Lunar New Year. Three Vietnamese migrant workers visited a Taiwan Lottery shop on Xinyue Street in Kaohsiung’s Gangshan District (崗山), a store representative said. The player bought multiple tickets and, after winning nothing, held the final lottery ticket in one hand and rubbed the store’s statue of the Maitreya Buddha’s belly with the other,
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
RSS