Source: Republic of China Taiwan
On the morning of July 30, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS). In remarks, President Lai stated that when it comes to security, prosperity, and development, Taiwan and the US are indispensable partners. The president said that in the face of China’s increasingly frequent coercion and aggression, Taiwan deeply understands that peace can only be achieved through strength, and the government is therefore continuing to reform national defense, strengthen asymmetric capabilities, and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. He stated that Taiwan is furthering defense cooperation with the US so that we can contribute even more to international peace and stability.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I am delighted to once again welcome our good friend Mr. Randall G. Schriver. This is the second time in the past 10 months that he has led an IIPS delegation to Taiwan, demonstrating strong support for Taiwan through concrete actions. Our esteemed guests here today have long attached great importance to Indo-Pacific security and Taiwan-US relations. Your visit highlights the steadfast friendship between our two countries and reaffirms the enduring, staunch, and bipartisan US support for Taiwan.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US and the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election. At the same time, we celebrate our cherished values of freedom and democracy and continue championing the importance of human rights and the rule of law. Nevertheless, this month, China passed a law facilitating transnational repression and conducted a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. These actions have severely impacted international human rights and regional peace and stability. In the face of China’s increasingly frequent coercion and aggression, Taiwan deeply understands that peace can only be achieved through strength. Our government is therefore proactively continuing to reform national defense, strengthen asymmetric capabilities, and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience.
I believe our guests fully understand Taiwan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding national security and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Our defense spending, as defined by NATO, surpassed 3 percent of GDP this year, and we expect it to reach 5 percent by 2030. To keep enhancing our self-defense capabilities, the government has already proposed a special defense budget. And now, we are actively seeking a special budget to procure unmanned vehicles for the establishment of drone defense systems. I would also like to thank Chairman Schriver for accepting an interview with the media upon his arrival in Taiwan and explaining to the public why it is essential for Taiwan to develop indigenous drone systems.
Taiwan very much looks forward to furthering defense cooperation with the US. We hope to evolve beyond military procurement to a partnership that encompasses joint research and development and joint production, so that we can contribute even more to international peace and stability. Beyond security, Taiwan and the US are also indispensable partners in prosperity and development. Today, the US is Taiwan’s largest trading partner, while Taiwan is the fourth-largest trading partner of the US. Currently, 25 US states and Guam maintain trade offices in Taiwan. And Taiwan is preparing to open its 14th representative office in the US, which will be in Phoenix, Arizona.
We are pleased that earlier this year Taiwan and the US signed an MOU on investment and the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, as well as the Joint Statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and US-Taiwan Economic Security Cooperation, which have enhanced our economic and trade partnership. On the basis of reciprocity and parity, we are jointly reducing trade barriers to ensure the resilience of high-tech supply chains. In closing, I would once again like to thank our guests for making this trip to Taiwan. I wish you all a pleasant and productive visit. Chairman Schriver then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for receiving them, adding that it is a great honor and that they look forward to an exchange of views with the president and his team. He thanked the president for noting the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US. Mentioning that after July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was met with a British attempt to crush US democracy, and that Taiwan’s first election, in March 1996, was met with Chinese missile exercises, he pointed out that we both had to fight for our democracy.
Chairman Schriver said that one of the interesting things about participating in a delegation every year is the excellent snapshots of where things stand, and that it also gives a glimpse at the progress and developments over the course of the year upon returning. This visit, he said, has shown him that Taiwan’s economy is stronger, the US-Taiwan trade relationship is more stable and durable, and the Taiwan military and its coast guard are growing stronger and fit for purpose given the challenges Taiwan faces. He attributed much of this to President Lai’s strong leadership and the hard work of his team.
Those developments notwithstanding, Chairman Schriver noted the Chinese pressure, the military intimidation and coercion, and the intensified lawfare campaign trying to squeeze and put pressure on Taiwan. So they have come here today to listen, he said, to learn from President Lai how they can be a good partner in helping to address these challenges, and how to build on Taiwan’s momentum in its economy, the Taiwan-US trade relationship, and our security cooperation. He then thanked President Lai once again for meeting with them.