Tsai pledges to build a stronger Taiwan in National Day address

TAIPEI – In her Double Ten National Day address, Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, has vowed to build a stronger Taiwan by boosting national security, economic competitiveness and the social safety net. In the face of dramatic changes in international politics and economics, and the expansion of China’s influence, Taiwan would pursue a strategy of stability, adaptability and progress rooted in national strength, Tsai said.

“The best way to defend Taiwan is to make it indispensable and irreplaceable to the world.”
 Tsai said that, over the past year, all countries had been tested by the shifting international landscape and Taiwan was no exception. China’s diplomatic offensive and military coercion had seriously challenged the cross-strait status quo.

Tsai urged Beijing to play a positive role in the region and the world instead of being a source of conflict.

She said Taiwan would not be provoked into confrontations that endangered cross-strait relations, but would remain composed and work to protect the nation’s free and democratic way of life, safeguard its sustainable development and maintain peace and stability.
 “In facing changing international circumstances, our strategic choice is clear, and that is to staunchly defend freedom, democracy and the market economy,” she said.
 Tsai outlined challenges to Taiwan’s national security beyond traditional defence and military concerns in such areas as diplomatic pressure, social infiltration and economics.
 The President identified four approaches to fortifying the country against these threats: fostering value-based diplomatic links; upgrading national defence capabilities based on the strategy of resolute defence and multidomain deterrence; preventing foreign powers from infiltrating and subverting society; and adjusting Taiwan’s role in regional development and global supply chains.
 Taiwan’s defence budget would grow steadily every year, the President said. “In the future, our national defence industry will not only strengthen military capabilities, but will become a key driving force for industrial development.”
 Tsai said Taiwan would pursue three major objectives in realigning its position in supply chains.

First, it would seek to establish close links in cutting-edge manufacturing and R&D with advanced economies like the U.S., Europe and Japan.
 Second, it would work to expand mutually-beneficial co-operation with New Southbound Policy countries and other high-growth economies.

Third, the Government would deepen collaboration with diplomatic allies on sustainable development to open new markets and cultivate global bases of operation for Taiwan enterprises.
 On the domestic front, the Government’s technology-focussed economic policies were delivering tangible benefits, Tsai said. “We are using a fresh mindset to dismantle outdated structures and remove obstacles to competition, guiding industry toward new opportunities.”
 The five-plus-two industrial innovation program was raising manufacturing standards in key sectors like aerospace, the Internet of Things and medical devices, with the output value of Taiwan’s machinery industry exceeding NT$1 trillion (US$32.13 billion) last year.
 Progress was also being made under Taiwan’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Programme, which would prioritise investment in digitisation, green energy, railways, urban-rural development and water resources projects going forward.
 With the investment environment showing improvement, Tsai said, Taiwan’s economy was rebounding and displaying signs of stable growth. Real earnings had hit an all-time high last year, while in the first five months of 2018, unemployment fell to an 18-year low for the period. www.mofa.tw  (ATI).