Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te met with the “Marshall Foundation for Germany” delegation visiting Taiwan on the afternoon of the 4th, expressing his expectation for Taiwan to have more economic exchanges and cooperation with the United States and the European Union, united to face the threat of authoritarian expansion.
President Lai Ching-te welcomed the visit of the senior advisor Heather A. Conley from the “Marshall Foundation for Germany” in his speech. He mentioned that despite the typhoon hitting Taiwan in recent days, the visit of the delegation demonstrated strong support for Taiwan and the firm stance shared between transatlantic partners and Taiwan. He warmly welcomed everyone on behalf of the people of Taiwan.
President Lai Ching-te pointed out that the “Marshall Foundation for Germany” has long been concerned about the Taiwan Strait issue and has published research reports on the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which did not mention Taiwan. This helps countries understand the incorrect interpretation by the Chinese Communist Party and its improper link to the “One China Principle.” He specially thanked Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Indo-Pacific Program, for her efforts and support.
“In recent years, the United States has continued to coordinate with allies to jointly reaffirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. I also want to thank the ‘Marshall Foundation for Germany’ for their efforts in advocating for Taiwan within the transatlantic alliance,” President Lai Ching-te said.
President Lai Ching-te emphasized that facing continuous military threats from China in the Taiwan Strait and its military expansion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, attempting to alter the rules-based international order. “We not only continue to increase defense budgets, establish a Defense Innovation Group, but also set up a ‘National Resilience Committee for Whole-of-Society Defense’ in the Presidential Office, aiming to enhance the nation’s overall defense, livelihood, disaster prevention, and democratic resilience, building a stronger and more resilient Taiwan to ensure regional stability and sustainable democratic development.”
President Lai Ching-te stressed that Taiwan not only has the determination to defend democracy but also hopes to work together with democratic partner countries to uphold the “democratic protection umbrella” and prevent threats of authoritarian expansion. He expressed his gratitude to Jessica Lewis, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, for her strong assistance in enabling the U.S. government to expedite the provision of defense capabilities needed by Taiwan through mechanisms such as “Presidential Waiver” and “Foreign Military Financing.”
He stated that besides military cooperation, economic cooperation is also crucial. He hopes Taiwan and the United States can quickly resolve double taxation issues to enhance their economic and trade relations. He also looks forward to Taiwan signing a bilateral investment agreement with the European Union to promote more economic exchanges and cooperation.
“In the face of the threat of authoritarianism, democratic countries can only exert collective wisdom and strength through unity,” President Lai Ching-te said. “Taiwan needs the world, and the world needs Taiwan. Taiwan will continue to collaborate with the United States and European partners and look forward to exchanging views with everyone.”
Senior advisor Heather A. Conley thanked the President for taking the time to meet with the delegation and highlighted the importance of national resilience, underlined by the unexpected encounter with a typhoon during the delegation’s three-day visit. They also utilized this opportunity to delve into how Taiwan is implementing the five key focal points of the “National Resilience Committee for Whole-of-Society Defense,” the challenges faced, and the importance of local government and public opinion.
Conley mentioned that the “Marshall Foundation for Germany” is dedicated to the intersection and connection of democracy, prosperity, and security, which is particularly crucial in today’s society. The more complex international situation and challenges become, the more the importance of partnerships in problem-solving is emphasized. The delegation members spanned Europe and the United States and included experts in technology, economic security, and civil society. They were pleased to exchange and learn during their visit to Taiwan.
Over the past three days, they had many opportunities for brainstorming, proposing new ideas, and look forward to writing more articles based on these discussions to continue the dialogue. Lastly, she expressed gratitude on behalf of the delegation for the substantive and meaningful exchange during this visit and thanked the President for taking time out of his busy post-typhoon recovery work to meet.
The visiting delegation also included Francesco M. Talò, former Permanent Representative of Italy to NATO, Rajmund Andrzejczak, former Chief of Staff of Poland, Christopher Schroeder, Chairman of the Board of the “Marshall Foundation for Germany,” Joe Wang, Senior Director of Special Competition Research at the Foreign Policy Initiative, and Nico Lange, Senior Research Fellow at the Munich Security Conference.