Taiwan must look to fellow democracies, not China, for trade and economic cooperation, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, as his government mapped out how the nation plans to work with the US in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and critical minerals.
Senior Taiwanese and US officials last week discussed cooperation in AI, technology and drones at a high-level forum launched during the first administration of US President Donald Trump, with the US Department of State praising Taiwan as a “vital partner.”
The two sides signed statements on cooperation on economic security and on the Pax Silica Declaration — a US-led initiative aimed at securing AI and semiconductor supply chains amid intense competition from Beijing, Washington’s main strategic rival.
Photo: Luo Pei-de, Taipei Times
Speaking at a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei about the US-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, Lai lauded the outcome of those talks.
“Taiwan is on the right economic path and is striding confidently onto the world stage. Taiwan has both the capability and the confidence to work with its democratic partners to lead the next generation of prosperity,” Lai said.
Lai was speaking Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Deputy Chairman Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) was in Beijing for a think tank exchange with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on ostensibly nonpolitical issues such as AI and tourism.
Lai said Taiwan’s opposition “had their own positions,” and pointed to the differences of Taiwan’s slower economic growth under the previous KMT government, which signed a landmark trade deal with China, and much faster growth since the Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016.
“Do we want to continue collaborating with the US, Japan, Europe and other allied nations, or again lock ourselves into China?” he asked.
In response to media queries about KMT-CCP exchanges, Lai said that the news conference was not specifically aimed at the KMT’s cross-strait initiatives, but it does provide a contrast for the public to clearly distinguish between the economic strategies.
“Is the Democratic Progressive Party government’s current approach — working closely with the US and allied nations to engage internationally — more beneficial to Taiwan’s economy? Or is the opposition’s push for a ‘second go west [of Taiwan to China]’ better for Taiwan’s economic development?” Lai asked.
Lai said that this comparison allows the public to assess the economic growth rates from the past year, as well as the eight years under his predecessor, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), compared with the eight years under former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the KMT, to determine which approach has been more effective.
The DPP government not only values its international relations with the US and other nations, but also places great importance on cross-strait relations, he said.
Lai said that after assuming the presidency, he had spoken of his desire to promote cooperation through exchanges and dialogue, with the goal of achieving peaceful coexistence and mutual prosperity.
Taiwan is eager to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China on the basis of equality and dignity, he said, adding that this has been cross-strait policy for nearly a decade from Tsai’s administration to his government, with a continued commitment to goodwill.
Additional reporting by Chen Yun
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