Taiwan's younger generation should take every opportunity they get to highlight Taiwan's democratic achievements and put the nation in the limelight on the world stage at a time when China is suppressing Taiwan internationally, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday.
Su made the remarks at a camp held by the DPP for the nation's youth to learn negotiation skills and military strategy. As soon as he arrived in Taiwan from the US at about 6am, Su went to the camp and made his speech.
Without looking fatigued after the long flight, Su encouraged young people to express themselves bravely and actively on all occasions. But he also reminded them to respect others' ideas and to take responsibility for whatever they say.
PHOTO: WANG MIN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
"It is the people of Taiwan's hard-won achievement to be able to speak so freely and openly today," Su said.
"Moving from the age of silence on all things political to today's excessive freedom of speech, all of us should always cherish freedom of speech and not abuse it," he said.
Su did not forget to share his experiences on his US trip in his speech to the young people. He said that Taiwan should garner much more exposure and attention in the world by promoting the nation's democratic achievements, since it is Taiwan's advantages that make it different from China and make Beijing's autocrats uncomfortable.
"While the world talks highly of Taiwan's democracy, only China is upset and uneasy about it," Su said.
"To Chinese authorities, the 23 million people of Taiwan have been reminding 1.3 billion Chinese of the sweet fruits of a lifestyle that they cannot enjoy," he said.
"Therefore, China has exerted itself to drown out Taiwan's radiant democracy and suppress the nation's existing space on the world stage," Su said.
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