Taiwan’s flourishing democracy is crucial to regional peace and stability, former US Navy admiral John Aquilino said during a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) in Taipei yesterday.
Aquilino, who was head of the Indo-Pacific Command, made the comments at an event at the Presidential Office attended by a delegation from the National Bureau of Asian Research think tank.
Aquilino said he continues to be incredibly impressed with Lai’s leadership and the “actions he has taken to secure Taiwan and defend its people.”
Photo: CNA
The pace of efforts to foster whole-of-society defense is “nothing short of inspiring,” he said.
Taiwan’s thriving democracy is “incredibly important” to the peace and stability of the region, he added.
Aquilino vowed to continue offering support alongside the think tank.
National Bureau of Asian Research president Michael Wills and his team are an asset to Taiwan and the US in helping continue their close relationship, and to ensure peace and stability in the region, he said.
Lai offered his “deepest gratitude” to the think tank for its research on regional security, which he said has allowed the international community to gain a better understanding of Taiwan’s role in the Indo-Pacific region and global democratic development.
Taiwan is continuing to implement its “four pillars of peace” action plan — enhancing national defense capabilities, building economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and standing with the democratic community to establish deterrence — and stands at the forefront of global democracy at a strategically important position in the first island chain, Lai said.
Other efforts to ensure Taiwan’s safety include increased military allowances for volunteer service members and combat troops at the beginning of the month, reforming national defense and enhancing self-sufficiency, Lai added.
“We will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP,” he said.
“These efforts continue to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and demonstrate our commitment to defending freedom and democracy,” he added.
Lai thanked the US government for its arms sales to Taiwan and for expanding the Taiwan-US partnership.
In addition to engaging in military exchanges and cooperation, the two nations could also more tightly integrate their economic and trade relationship to boost each other’s economic resilience, he said.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The