Tsai vows to protect Taiwan through unity in National Day address

2021/10/12

President Tsai Ing-wen delivered her National Day address in front of the Presidential Office Oct. 10 in Taipei City, vowing to protect Taiwan by forging consensus and unity among all segments of society.
 
On the day when the people gather to celebrate the 110th birthday of the ROC (Taiwan), Tsai said it is important to pay tribute to the country’s forebearers for their dedication to the homeland.
 
By facilitating cooperation between society and government, the whole of society can work to find common ground among different ideas, gradually resolve difficult issues and build a firm foundation on which to guide national development, Tsai added.
 
Although COVID-19 has brought tremendous challenges to Taiwan, including the loss of more than 800 lives, the pandemic also highlighted the great virtue of the people, Tsai said. It also underlined the importance of private sector contributions and the dedication of front-line medical professionals in managing the disease, she added.
 
The country donated numerous face masks last year to show Taiwan Can Help fight the pandemic, and in return received vaccines of friendship from the Czech Republic, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and the U.S., Tsai said, adding that the government will continue contributing to the world to expand this virtuous cycle.
 
Despite the health crisis, Tsai said, Taiwan’s relationship with like-minded partners such as the EU, Japan and U.S. continues to flourish, with more and more democratic friends willing to stand with Taiwan.
 
At a time when the global political landscape is undergoing drastic change, Taiwan is on democracy’s first line of defense against the expansion of authoritarianism, Tsai said, adding that the country is willing to do even more in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
 
Tsai said the government’s position on cross-strait relations remains unchanged and called for maintaining the status quo. Resolving cross-strait differences requires the two sides to engage in dialogue on the basis of parity, she added.
 
In the tweet on its official Twitter account, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “National Day celebrations are underway around #Taiwan! We thank the country’s allies, friends & like-minded partners for the outpouring of support & choosing to #StandWithTaiwan.”


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