President Tsai addresses Concordia Annual Summit

2023/09/22

President Tsai Ing-wen delivered a video speech Sept. 20 from Taipei City for the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit, calling on members of the democratic community to support cross-strait peace and Taiwan’s international participation.
 
According to the president, this year’s summit highlighted the necessity of democracy, global security and human rights in advancing social progress. These shared values lie at the heart of everything the Taiwan government does, including efforts to expand its international engagement, she said.
 
Tsai said that in addition to being an important partner of the free world, Taiwan holds a pivotal role in global supply chains because it produces 90 percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips, while about half of the total international container ship traffic passes through the Taiwan Strait every year. This makes Taiwan’s and the region’s security all the more critical, the president added.
 
Since Taiwan bears the brunt of China’s military threats, cyberattacks and other gray-zone tactics, the government is fully aware that it must remain vigilant in its efforts to maintain peace and protect its democratic way of life, Tsai said, adding that international cooperation is imperative to addressing Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions.
 
Tsai said the government welcomes U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent remarks that the global body will do all it can to help ease tension in the region and the joint statement from leaders of the U.S., Japan and South Korea that reaffirmed the importance of cross-strait peace and stability.
 
The president called on democracies around the globe to stand together to bring about a more secure and prosperous future for all.
 
According to the Presidential Office, the summit was organized by New York-based nonprofit organization Concordia on the sidelines of the ongoing U.N. General Assembly. Dignitaries giving speeches at the event included Paraguay President Santiago Pena, Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. 


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