President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the U.S. and other democracies to advance global prosperity.

Lai made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Brookings Institution Dec. 19 at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.

The president praised Brookings for its pivotal research that not only guides U.S. government policy but also impacts the international political and economic landscape. Amid the recent coordination by authoritarian regimes such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia, it is imperative that democracies unite, Lai added.

As China escalates tensions with continued military actions around Taiwan, the government is grateful to fellow democracies like the U.S. that have shown support and expressed concern about disruption of the cross-strait status quo, the president said. Situated in a key position in the first island chain, Taiwan will keep implementing the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to ensure its national security and safeguard regional peace and stability, he vowed.

According to Lai, the government is leaving no stone unturned in strengthening its defense capabilities and reinforcing economic resilience while standing together with the democratic community to achieve peace through deterrence. At the same time, the country is willing to collaborate with China on the condition of parity and dignity to propel peaceful development, he said.

The president went on to note that the first agreement under the Taiwan-U.S. Initiative on 21st Century Trade officially took effect last week, marking a major milestone in bilateral economic relations. Cooperation between the two sides has also yielded fruitful results in the areas of culture and education, he added.

In response, Brookings President Cecilia Rouse said it was her first overseas visit since taking office, signifying Taiwan’s importance as a partner to the U.S. and its critical role in the global economy. She concluded that despite the upcoming change in administration, the two sides’ shared values remain unchanged.


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