President Tsai addresses Indo-Pacific Leaders Dialogue session

2020/08/31

President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 27 that Taiwan will continue working with like-minded Indo-Pacific partner Australia in promoting peace, stability and prosperity throughout the region for the benefit of the people.
 
 Collaboration and mutual assistance saw Taiwan and Australia weather the first wave of COVID-19, Tsai said. This synergy should be harnessed in starting negotiations on an economic cooperation agreement and uncovering more opportunities for both sides, she added.
 
 Tsai made the remarks while taking part virtually in the Indo-Pacific Leaders Dialogue session. Organized by Canberra-headquartered think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the event also involved ASPI Executive Director Peter Jennings, Analyst Samantha Hoffman and Mark Harrison, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations from the University of Tasmania.
 
 According to Tsai, Taiwan and Australia have grown even closer in recent years on the back of shared values such as freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. This has seen more collaboration in areas of overlapping interest, as well as culture, education, science, security, tourism and trade exchanges, she said.
 
 A recent example, Tsai said, is coronavirus-combating cooperation between both sides. Taiwan provided 3 metric tons of nonwoven fabric used for surgical mask production, and Australia offered in exchange 1 million liters of alcohol to make more than 4 million bottles of sanitizer, she added.
 
 In addition, medical research teams from Taoyuan City-based Chang Gung University and Melbourne-headquartered Monash University are working together on developing drugs with possible applications in fighting viruses such as COVID-19, Tsai said. This kind of collaboration, transparent communication and information sharing is strengthening the global response to the pandemic, she added.
 
 On the economic front, Tsai said, Taiwan and Australia’s complementary economies and technology expertise augur well for expanded trade and additional tie-ups in key sectors such as green energy. An ECA would capitalize on this strength and further advance Taiwan’s case for inclusion in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, she added.
 
 According to Tsai, regional cooperation is another strong suit of Taiwan and Australia. Both sides stand on the front line in defending rules-based order, promoting the principles of good governance and achieving the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, she said.
 
 Taiwan’s importance for the region was reiterated in the joint declaration from last month’s Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultation, Tsai said. It set out strong backing for Taiwan, and pledged collaboration with the country to provide aid and assistance to the development of Pacific Island nations, she added.
 
 Tsai took the opportunity to reaffirm Taiwan’s existence, stating that the country has its own government, holds free elections and its people choose their own leaders. Taiwan also has its own military and democratic institutions, none of which have ever been under Beijing’s jurisdiction, she said, adding that the future of Taiwan is to be decided by the people.
 
 Regarding cross-strait ties, Tsai said the government remains committed to peace and stability. Discussions with China are possible as long as they contribute to a beneficial relationship, and are based on the four principles of peace, parity, democracy and dialogue.
 
 Tsai said the government and people of Taiwan are grateful for Australia’s support of the country’s international space, especially in the World Health Assembly. It is important for all voices to be fully represented and heard when it comes to health and public safety, she added.
 
 Despite the geographic distance between Taiwan and Australia, Tsai said she is confident the countries will rise successfully together to meet future challenges.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)