Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Pui-leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
 
Question:
 
     Various hiking trails and country parks in Hong Kong have all along attracted many local people and overseas visitors to go hiking. However, it has been reported that quite a number of hikers are inexperienced or ill-equipped, resulting in frequent hiking accidents, and some of them have even disregarded safety in a bid to “check-in”, which has aroused concerns and worries in society. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the number of mountain search and rescue (S&R) calls received by the Government in the past two years, as well as the respective numbers of casualties of local people and overseas visitors involved in the relevant incidents; the government expenditures involved in the relevant calls and S&R operations;
 
(2) given that the webpage of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) contains the high risk locations with records of fatal and serious accidents in country parks, whether the authorities have further drawn up a list of “hiking blackspots” and the points to note and stepped up publicity among members of the public and tourists; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) as it is learnt that in order to deter risk-taking behaviours without regard to the consequences, some places have started to collect rescue fees from hikers, whether the Government will erect fences and warning signs at high-risk locations where hiking accidents frequently occur; whether the authorities will follow the practice of other regions and collect rescue fees from hikers who have accidents despite warnings and seek rescue; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether there are other measures intended to be implemented to deter the risk-taking behaviours concerned; and
 
(4) as it is learnt that the “Enjoy Hiking” mobile application launched by the AFCD is equipped with a “Hiker Tracking Service” which can record the location of users so as to shorten the S&R time after they have an accident, of the number of downloads of the application and, among such downloads, the number of users with Internet Protocol addresses outside Hong Kong; of the measures put in place by the authorities to enhance the promotion of hiking safety among overseas visitors?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government attaches great importance to publicising and promoting hiking safety, as well as promoting hiking etiquette and the message of protecting the natural environment to the public and tourists through various channels. Having consulted the Security Bureau, the reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Pui-leung is as follows:
 
(1) In the past two years, the number of mountain search and rescue calls received by the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the number of casualties involved are tabulated below: 
 

 
     The FSD does not keep a breakdown of the number of casualties involving local residents and foreign visitors. As the above rescue operations do not involve additional manpower and salary expenditure, the FSD does not keep a breakdown of the expenditure involved.
 
(2) Through the “Enjoy Hiking” website (hiking.gov.hk), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) provides consolidated information of different hiking trails to hikers to facilitate their planning of hiking trips. It also lists 20 high risk locations with records of fatal and serious accidents in country parks (high-risk locations), according to factors such as previous records of serious and fatal accidents, the causes of such accidents, as well as the site conditions, with a view to reminding hikers to avoid accessing those areas. The AFCD will regularly review and update the list of high-risk locations as needed. 

     To promote public awareness on hiking safety, the AFCD regularly organises education activities, including school visits, guided tours, roving exhibitions and game booths at shopping malls and Country Parks Visitor Centres. The AFCD will also disseminate safety information through online videos, social media platforms, websites, and pamphlets distributed at Country Parks Visitor Centres. Concurrently, the Hong Kong Police Force, the FSD, the Government Flying Service and the Civil Aid Service also raise hiker’s awareness on hiking safety through various channels and events.
 
(3) The Government has always accorded top priority to public safety and the protection of people’s life and property. While the Government strongly discourages the public from taking risks to perform dangerous activities, effective, reliable and efficient emergency services will still be provided to people in distress or in need under all circumstances. We do not hope that those in need would hesitate in seeking emergency call services due to any reasons, including levy. The AFCD has also installed warning signs in suitable areas of the high-risk locations to remind hikers to avoid accessing those areas. The AFCD will review the situations of different areas from time to time, modify or add suitable warning signs and barriers where needed. 

(4) As at April 2025, the “Enjoy Hiking” mobile application had been downloaded for over 480 000 times, including approximately 100 000 downloads by users with non-local IP addresses. 

     The AFCD, in collaboration with the Tourism Commission and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), has been promoting green tourism and sharing messages on hiking safety and nature conservation through HKTB’s “Hong Kong Great Outdoors” thematic website (www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/explore/great-outdoor.html) and its social media platforms, to ensure that tourists enjoy the countryside in Hong Kong in a safe and nature-friendly manner. Furthermore, the AFCD collaborates with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in the Mainland and the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province to promote Hong Kong’s natural scenery and hiking routes, as well as to disseminate hiking safety messages, through their social media platforms in the Mainland.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is a question by the Hon Luk Chung-hung and a written reply by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
 
Question:
 
There are views pointing out that the problems of insufficient manpower and recruitment difficulties of lifeguards in Hong Kong have remained unresolved for many years, which may lead to the chaotic situation of unlicensed lifeguards being employed, undermining the dignity of the industry’s workforce and jeopardising the lives and safety of swimmers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the current number of vacancies of civil service lifeguards; whether the Government has assessed the impact of the vacancy situation on the services to the public;
 
(2) whether it has studied if the Government has difficulties in recruiting lifeguards; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the support measures and proposals to resolve the problem;
 
(3) as some members of the industry have relayed that at present, civil service lifeguards have limited promotion prospects and their remuneration packages are inadequate, and their posts are only included in the Artisan grade, but they have to obtain a number of certificates and regularly renew their licenses in order to be employed on a continuous basis, which has resulted in a high wastage rate and stifled the development of the industry, whether the Government will further review and adjust the grade structure of civil service lifeguards, thereby retaining talents and attracting new blood to join the industry;
 
(4) of the respective numbers of (a) surprise and (b) non-surprise (i) inspections of private swimming pools conducted by the relevant government departments in the past three years, and the respective numbers of non-compliance cases found during such inspections in which (ii) there was insufficient manpower on duty at the swimming pools, and (iii) unqualified lifeguards were employed and on duty (set out in the table below); the actions taken by the Government to pursue such non-compliance cases;

(5) as it has been reported that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will check the identity documents and Pool Lifeguard Awards (PLA) of the lifeguards on duty during inspections of private swimming pools and verify the validity of PLA with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society (HKCLSS), of the specific procedures adopted by the FEHD for verifying the validity of the PLAs with the HKCLSS, including whether the FEHD has established a formal and regular liaison mechanism with the HKCLSS; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will consider establishing such mechanism; and
 
(6) as it has been reported that the HKCLSS intends to introduce an online service for checking the qualifications of lifeguards, whether the Government will collaborate with the HKCLSS to establish a checking system for qualified lifeguards, so as to rigorously combat unlicensed lifeguards and, at the same time, facilitate employers in checking the qualifications of the lifeguards they employ?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
In consultation with relevant policy bureaux and government departments, the consolidated reply to the questions raised by the Hon Luk Chung-hung is as follows:
 
(1) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is responsible for managing 46 public swimming pools, 42 gazetted beaches (Note 1) and five water sports centres. As at May 1, 2025, a total of 1 308 civil service lifeguards were employed by the LCSD. The number of vacancies was 188 (Note 2) .
 
During the swimming season every year (i.e. April to October), the LCSD needs to employ about 700 seasonal lifeguards. However, with increasing market demand for lifeguards due to the growing number of local private swimming pools in recent years, it has become more challenging for the LCSD to recruit seasonal lifeguards, which inevitably affects the provision of services at aquatic venues. The LCSD has all along flexibly deployed its serving lifeguards and other resources with a view to maintaining the services provided at aquatic venues as far as possible. The LCSD will arrange sufficient lifeguards to be on duty at aquatic venues that are open and deploy additional manpower when necessary, such as calling off-duty lifeguards to report for duty or arranging lifeguards to work overtime where practicable. Having regard to the usage of swimming pools and habits of swimmers, the LCSD will also temporarily close facilities with low usage rates during sessions with fewer attendees to optimise the use of manpower resources.
 
(2) The LCSD proactively puts in place various measures to increase and stabilise the manpower supply of lifeguards, including improving the remuneration package of seasonal lifeguards, enhancing the flexibility of recruitment procedures and exploring the recruitment of more eligible persons to join lifesaving services, etc.
 
The LCSD has recruited 110 full-year lifeguards on a two-year contract since 2023, and further employed 70 additional full-year lifeguards on a two-year contract in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Such relatively long contract period is conducive to stabilising the manpower supply of lifeguards. The LCSD has also taken into account market trends to further enhance the remuneration package of seasonal lifeguards, with monthly salary reaching as high as $23,000 (excluding end-of-contract gratuity) to reduce the salary gap between lifeguards in the public and private sectors.
 
Furthermore, as contractors of outsourced services offer more flexibility on remuneration packages and working hours, which makes the recruitment arrangement more flexible and attractive, the LCSD has outsourced lifesaving and first aid services at six public swimming pools on a trial basis since September 2024. The relevant service contractor has been providing stable lifesaving and first aid services. The LCSD will continue to review and evaluate the effectiveness of outsourcing lifesaving and first aid services.
 
As for expanding the new labour markets, the LCSD will continue to step up its publicity efforts for recruitment exercises, including extensively displaying recruitment posters and disseminating recruitment information/advertisements to reach out to more target groups. The LCSD will also proactively liaise with youth services organisations and schools to promote and encourage young people to pursue a career in lifeguarding, as well as to raise their interests in working as seasonal lifeguards, with a view to increasing the manpower supply of lifeguards. Besides, the LCSD launched the “Combined Seasonal Lifeguard Training Scheme” in 2023 and has so far organised six “Integrated Certificates Courses on Life Saving” to attract more people with no lifesaving qualifications to join the profession. In addition, the LCSD has collaborated with the Employees Retraining Board to organise specific lifesaving training programmes and provide relevant job opportunities with a view to increasing the manpower supply of lifeguards.
 
(3) Under the prevailing policy of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), when a specific civil service grade has proven and persistent recruitment and retention difficulties, or fundamental changes in the job nature, job complexity and responsibilities, the Government will consider conducting a grade structure review for the grade concerned. There have been no fundamental changes to the job nature, job complexity and responsibilities of civil service lifeguards. In the past three years, the average vacancy rate of civil service lifeguards was 5.28 per cent, which was lower than the rate of 9.38 per cent for the entire civil service in the same period. The LCSD will continue to monitor the situation with the CSB.
 
(4), (5) and (6) In the past three years, the number of surprised inspections conducted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on licensed swimming pools is provided below:
 

As all inspections conducted by the FEHD on licensed swimming pools are surprise inspections, there is no record on non-surprise inspections.
 
For the four cases in 2024 in which sufficient number of qualified lifeguards was not made available in accordance with the law or licensing conditions, the FEHD had taken prosecution or issued warnings to the licensees depending on the actual situation.
 
The lifesaving qualifications required by lifeguards are assessed and awarded by the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society (HKCLSS) (Note 3). Starting from May 19, 2025, the FEHD will implement a number of measures to strengthen the monitoring of the qualifications of lifeguards at private swimming pools. These measures include stepping up inspections of swimming pools. Apart from checking the identity documents of lifeguards on duty and their Pool Lifeguard Awards (PLA) during each surprise inspection, the FEHD will also send all information of the PLA to the HKCLSS for verification. The FEHD and the HKCLSS have established a regular verification mechanism to handle the matter.
 
Note 1: Lifesaving services are not provided by the LCSD at three of the gazetted beaches as beach facilities such as beach buildings and shark prevention nets are not available there.
Note 2: With lifesaving and first aid services being outsourced at six public swimming pools under the LCSD on a trial basis since September 2024, the 98 civil service lifeguard vacancies in the venues concerned will not be filled for the time being.
Note 3: The HKCLSS is the only national sports association recognised by the International Life Saving Federation for assessing lifeguard qualifications and awarding lifeguard certificates in Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Michael Tien and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
 
Question:
 
Starting from August 25 last year, people aged 60 or above must use the JoyYou Card to enjoy a concessionary fare of $2 per trip under the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (the new measure). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it knows the number of contravention cases uncovered by the MTR Corporation Limited involving the use of JoyYou Card to enjoy the concessionary fare of $2 since the implementation of the new measure and, among such cases, the number of those referred to the Police for follow-up;
 
(2) in respect of the cases referred to the Police for follow-up as mentioned in (1), of the respective numbers of cases prosecuted and not prosecuted by the Police; the reasons for the Police not prosecuting such cases; and
 
(3) in respect of the prosecution cases mentioned in (2), of the number of convicted persons who were eventually sentenced to imprisonment?
 
Reply:
 
President,

The Government has implemented in full a real-name registration system for the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (the $2 Scheme) starting from August 25, 2024, mandating Hong Kong residents aged 60 or above to use a JoyYou Card, and eligible persons with disabilities aged below 60 to use a Personalised Octopus card encoded with the “Persons with Disabilities Status”, to enjoy the $2 Scheme.
 
The Transport Department (TD) has all along been requesting public transport operators (PTOs) to strengthen ticket inspection and passenger identity verification work and to strictly enforce the penalty as set out in relevant legislation and by-laws to prevent any abuse. The TD also conducts surveys and monitors the situation. The TD also conducts joint inspection and enforcement actions with PTOs from time to time and refers abuse cases with sufficient evidence to the Police for criminal investigation so as to achieve deterrent effect.
 
In respect of the enforcement actions carried out by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) during the period from the full implementation of the real-name registration system to April 2025, the number of abuse cases of the $2 Scheme with surcharges imposed was 280 (i.e. eight cases per week on average). The number of cases concerned has been lowered significantly as compared to the 9 624 cases (i.e. 158 cases per week on average) before the implementation of the real-name registration system from June 25, 2023, to August 24, 2024.
 
After the full implementation of the real-name registration system, the MTRCL had sought assistance from the Police for 14 suspected cases of abuse of the $2 Scheme using JoyYou Card. Police officers were deployed to the scene for each case. Among the 14 cases, five arrests were made after investigation by the Police. One of those arrest cases had completed prosecution (with the arrested person convicted of theft and fined $400), while the arrested person of another case was prosecuted by the Police for theft (with the hearing taking place on May 9, 2025) and two cases are still under investigation. Another case was referred to the MTRCL for follow-up as a case of violation of the Mass Transit Railway By-laws since no criminal elements were found after investigation by the Police. The remaining nine cases had also been referred to the MTRCL for follow-up as cases of violation of the Mass Transit Railway By-laws since no arrestable offences were identified after investigation by the Police.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

In a recent interview with Japan’s Nikkei, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions regarding Taiwan-Japan and Taiwan-United States relations, cross-strait relations, the semiconductor industry, and the international economic and trade landscape. The interview was published by Nikkei on May 13.
President Lai indicated that Nikkei, Inc. is a global news organization that has received significant recognition both domestically and internationally, and that he is deeply honored to be interviewed by Nikkei and grateful for their invitation. The president said that he would like to take this rare opportunity to thank Japan’s government, National Diet, society, and public for their longstanding support for Taiwan. Noting that current Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio have all strongly supported Taiwan, he said that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan also have a deep mutual affection, and that through the interview, he hopes to enhance the bilateral relationship between Taiwan and Japan, deepen the affection between our peoples, and foster more future cooperation to promote prosperity and development in both countries.
In response to questions raised on the free trade system and the recent tariff war, President Lai indicated that over the past few decades, the free economy headed by the Western world and led by the US has brought economic prosperity and political stability to Taiwan and Japan. At the same time, he said, we have also learned or followed many Western values.
The president said he believes that Taiwan and Japan are exemplary students, but some countries are not. Therefore, he said, the biggest crisis right now is China, which exploits the free trade system to engage in plagiarism and counterfeiting, infringe on intellectual property rights, and even provide massive government subsidies that facilitate the dumping of low-priced goods worldwide, which has a major impact on many countries including Japan and Taiwan. If this kind of unfair trade is not resolved, he said, the stable societies and economic prosperity we have painstakingly built over decades, as well as some of the values we pursue, could be destroyed. Therefore, President Lai said he thinks it is worthwhile for us to observe the recent willingness of the US to address unfair trade, and if necessary, offer assistance.
President Lai emphasized that the national strategic plan for Taiwanese industries is for them to be rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. Therefore, he said, while the 32 percent tariff increase imposed by the US on Taiwan is indeed a major challenge, we are willing to address it seriously and find opportunities within that challenge, making Taiwan’s strategic plan for industry even more comprehensive.
When asked about Taiwan’s trade arrangements, President Lai indicated that in 2010 China accounted for 83.8 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment, but last year it accounted for only 7.5 percent. In 2020, he went on, 43.9 percent of Taiwan’s exports went to China, but that figure dropped to 31.7 percent in 2024. The president said that we have systematically transferred investments from Taiwanese enterprises to Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US. Therefore, he said, last year Taiwan’s largest outbound investment was in the US, accounting for roughly 40 percent of the total. Nevertheless, only 23.4 percent of Taiwanese products were sold to the US, with 76.6 percent sold to places other than the US, he said. 
The president emphasized that we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket, and hope to establish a global presence. Under these circumstances, he said, Taiwan is very eager to cooperate with Japan. President Lai stated that at this moment, the Indo-Pacific and international community really need Japan’s leadership, especially to make the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) excel in its functions, and also requested Japan to support Taiwan’s CPTPP accession.
The president said that Taiwan hopes to sign an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan to build closer ties in economic trade and promote further investment, and that we also hope to strengthen relations with the European Union, and even other regions. Currently, he said, we are proposing an initiative on global semiconductor supply chain partnerships for democracies, because the semiconductor industry is an ecosystem. The president raised the example that Japan has materials, equipment, and technology; the US has IC design and marketing; Taiwan has production and manufacturing; and the Netherlands excels in equipment, saying we therefore hope to leverage Taiwan’s advantages in production and manufacturing to connect the democratic community and establish a global non-red supply chain for semiconductors, ensuring further world prosperity and development in the future, and ensuring that free trade can continue to function without being affected by dumping, which would undermine future prosperity and development.
The president stated that as we want industries to expand their global presence and market internationally while staying rooted here in Taiwan, having industries rooted in Taiwan involves promoting pay raises for employees, tax cuts, and deregulation, as well as promoting enterprise investment tax credits. He said that we have also proposed Three Major Programs for Investing in Taiwan for Taiwanese enterprises and are actively resolving issues regarding access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent so that the business community can return to Taiwan to invest, or enterprises in Taiwan can increase their investments. He went on to say that we are also actively signing bilateral investment agreements with friends and allies so that when our companies invest and expand their presence abroad, their rights and interests as investors are ensured. 
President Lai mentioned that Taiwan hopes to sign an EPA with Japan, similar to the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade and the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue, or the Enhanced Trade Partnership arrangement with the United Kingdom, or similar agreements or memorandums of understanding with Canada and Australia that allow Taiwanese products to be marketed worldwide, concluding that those are our overall arrangements.
Looking at the history of Taiwan’s industrial development, President Lai indicated, of course it began in Taiwan, and then moved west to China and south to Southeast Asia. He said that we hope to take this opportunity to strengthen cooperation with Japan to the north, across the Pacific Ocean to the east, and develop the North American market, making Taiwan’s industries even stronger. In other words, he said, while Taiwan sees the current reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US as a kind of challenge, it also views these changes positively.
On the topic of pressure from China affecting Taiwan’s participation in international frameworks such as the CPTPP or its signing of an EPA with Japan, President Lai responded that the key point is what kind of attitude we should adopt in viewing China’s acts of oppression. If we act based on our belief in free trade, he said, or on the universal values we pursue – democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights – and also on the understanding that a bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and Japan would contribute to the economic prosperity and development of both countries, or that Taiwan’s accession to the CPTPP would benefit progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, then he hopes that friends and allies will strongly support us.
On the Trump administration’s intentions regarding the reciprocal tariff policy and the possibility of taxing semiconductors, as well as how Taiwan plans to respond, President Lai said that since President Trump took office, he has paid close attention to interviews with both him and his staff. The president said that several of President Trump’s main intentions are: First, he wants to address the US fiscal situation. For example, President Lai said, while the US GDP is about US$29 trillion annually, its national debt stands at US$36 trillion, which is roughly 124 percent of GDP. Second, he went on, annual government spending exceeds US$6.5 trillion, but revenues are only around US$4.5 trillion, resulting in a nearly US$2 trillion deficit each year, about 7 percent of GDP. Third, he said, the US pays nearly US$1.2 trillion in interest annually, which exceeds the US$1 trillion defense budget and accounts for more than 3 percent of GDP. Fourth, President Trump still wants to implement tax cuts, aiming to reduce taxes for 85 percent of Americans, he said, noting that this would cost between US$500 billion and US$1 trillion. These points, President Lai said, illustrate his first goal: solving the fiscal problem.
President Lai went on to say that second, the US feels the threat of China and believes that reindustrialization is essential; without reindustrialization, the US risks a growing gap in industrial capacity compared to China. Third, he said, in this era of global smart technology, President Trump wants to lead the nation to become a world center of AI. Fourth, he aims to ensure world peace and prevent future wars, President Lai said. In regard to what the US seeks to achieve, he said he believes these four areas form the core of the Trump administration’s intentions, and that is why President Trump has raised tariffs, demanded that trading partners purchase more American goods, and encouraged friendly and allied nations to invest in the US, all in order to achieve these goals.
President Lai indicated that the 32 percent reciprocal tariff poses a critical challenge for Taiwan, and we must treat it seriously. He said that our approach is not confrontation, but negotiation to reduce tariffs, and that we have also agreed to measures such as procurement, investment, resolving non-tariff trade barriers, and addressing origin washing in order to effectively reduce the trade deficit between Taiwan and the US. Of course, he said, through this negotiation process, we also hope to turn challenges into opportunities. The president said that first, we aim to start negotiations from the proposal of zero tariffs and seek to establish a bilateral trade agreement with the US. Second, he went on, we hope to support US reindustrialization and its aim to become a world AI hub through investment, while simultaneously upgrading and transforming Taiwan’s industries, which would help further integrate Taiwan’s industries into the US economic structure, ensuring Taiwan’s long-term development. 
President Lai emphasized again that Taiwan’s national industrial strategy is for industries to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. He repeated that we have gone from moving westward across the Taiwan Strait, to shifting southbound, to working closer northward with Japan, and now the time is ripe for us to expand eastward by investing in North America. In other words, he said, while we take this challenge seriously to protect national interests and ensure that no industry is sacrificed, we also hope these negotiations will lead to deeper Taiwan-US trade relations through Taiwanese investment in the US, concluding that these are our expectations.
The president stated that naturally, the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US will have an impact on Taiwanese industries, so in response, the Taiwanese government has already proposed support measures for affected industries totaling NT$93 billion. In addition, he said, we have outlined broader needs for Taiwan’s long-term development, which will be covered by a special budget proposal of NT$410 billion, noting that this has already been approved by the Executive Yuan and will be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review. He said that this special budget proposal addresses four main areas: supporting industries, stabilizing employment, protecting people’s livelihoods, and enhancing resilience.
As for tariffs on semiconductors, President Lai said, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has committed to investing in the US at the request of its customers. He said he believes that TSMC’s industry chain will follow suit, and that these are concrete actions that are unrelated to tariffs. However, he said, if the US were to invoke Section 232 and impose tariffs on semiconductors or related industries, it would discourage Taiwanese semiconductor and ICT investments in the US, and that we will make this position clear to the US going forward.
President Lai indicated that among Taiwan’s exports to the US, there are two main categories: ICT products and electronic components, which together account for 65.4 percent. These are essential to the US, he said, unlike final goods such as cups, tables, or mattresses. He went on to say that what Taiwan sells to the US are the technological products required by AI designers like NVIDIA, AMD, Amazon, Google, and Apple, and that therefore, we will make sure the US understands clearly that we are not exporting end products, but the high-tech components necessary for the US to reindustrialize and become a global AI center. Furthermore, the president said, Taiwan is also willing to increase its defense budget and military procurement. He stated that Taiwan is committed to defending itself and is strongly willing to cooperate with friends and allies to ensure regional peace and stability, and that this is also something President Trump hopes to see.
Asked whether TSMC’s fabs overseas could weaken Taiwan’s strategic position as a key hub for semiconductor manufacturing, and whether that could then give other countries fewer incentives to protect Taiwan, President Lai responded by saying that political leaders around the world including Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba and former Prime Ministers Abe, Suga, and Kishida have emphasized, at the G7 and other major international fora, that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential for global security and prosperity. In other words, he explained, the international community cares about Taiwan and supports peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait because Taiwan is located in the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, directly facing China. He pointed out that if Taiwan is not protected, China’s expansionist ambitions will certainly grow, which would impact the current rules-based international order. Thus, he said, the international community willingly cares about Taiwan and supports stability in the Taiwan Strait – that is the reason, and it has no direct connection with TSMC. He noted that after all, TSMC has not made investments in that many countries, stressing that, on that point, it is clear.
President Lai said that TSMC’s investments in Japan, Europe, and the US are all natural, normal economic and investment activities. He said that Taiwan is a democratic country whose society is based on the rule of law, so when Taiwanese companies need to invest around the world for business needs, the government will support those investments in principle so long as they do not harm national interests.
President Lai said that after TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) held a press conference with President Trump to announce the investment in the US, Chairman Wei returned to Taiwan to hold a press conference with him at the Presidential Office, where the chairman explained to the Taiwanese public that TSMC’s R&D center will remain in Taiwan and that the facilities it has already committed to investing in here will not change and will not be affected. So, the president explained, to put it another way, TSMC will not be weakened by its investment in the US. He further emphasized that Taiwan has strengths in semiconductor manufacturing and is very willing to work alongside other democratic countries to promote the next stage of global prosperity and development.
A question was raised about which side should be chosen between the US and China, under the current perception of a return to the Cold War, with East and West facing off as two opposing blocs. President Lai responded by saying that some experts and scholars describe the current situation as entering a new Cold War era between democratic and authoritarian camps; others assert that the war has already begun, including information warfare, economic and trade wars, and the ongoing wars in Europe – the Russo-Ukrainian War – and the Middle East, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The president said that these are all matters experts have cautioned about, noting that he is not a historian and so will not attempt to define today’s political situation from an academic standpoint. However, he said, he believes that every country has a choice, which is to say, Taiwan, Japan, or any other nation does not necessarily have to choose between the US and China. What we are deciding, he said, is whether our country will maintain a democratic constitutional system or regress into an authoritarian regime, and this is essentially a choice of values – not merely a choice between two major powers.
President Lai said that Taiwan’s situation is different from other countries because we face a direct threat from China. He pointed out that we have experienced military conflicts such as the August 23 Artillery Battle and the Battle of Guningtou – actual wars between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. He said that China’s ambition to annex Taiwan has never wavered, and that today, China’s political and military intimidation, as well as internal united front infiltration, are growing increasingly intense. Therefore, he underlined, to defend democracy and sovereignty, protect our free and democratic system, and ensure the safety of our people’s lives and property, Taiwan’s choice is clear.
President Lai said that China’s military exercises are not limited to the Taiwan Strait, and include the East China Sea, South China Sea, and even the Sea of Japan, as well as areas around Korea and Australia. Emphasizing that Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines are all democratic nations, the president said that Taiwan’s choice is clear, and that he believes Japan also has no other choice. We are all democratic countries, he said, whose people have long pursued the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and that is what is most important.
Regarding the intensifying tensions between the US and China, the president was asked what roles Taiwan and Japan can play. President Lai responded that in his view, Japan is a powerful nation, and he sincerely hopes that Japan can take a leading role amid these changes in the international landscape. He said he believes that countries in the Indo-Pacific region are also willing to respond. He suggested several areas where we can work together: first, democracy and peace; second, innovation and prosperity; and third, justice and sustainability.
President Lai stated that in the face of authoritarian threats, we should let peace be our beacon and democracy our compass as we respond to the challenges posed by authoritarian states. Second, he added, as the world enters an era characterized by the comprehensive adoption of smart technologies, Japan and Taiwan should collaborate in the field of innovation to further drive regional prosperity and development. Third, he continued, is justice and sustainability. He explained that because international society still has many issues that need to be resolved, Taiwan and Japan can cooperate for the public good, helping countries in need around the world, and cooperating to address climate change and achieve net-zero transition by 2050.
Asked whether he hopes that the US will continue to be a leader in the liberal democratic system, President Lai responded by saying that although the US severed diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, for the past few decades it has assisted Taiwan in various areas such as national defense, security, and countering threats from China, based on the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. He pointed out that Taiwan has also benefited, directly and indirectly, in terms of politics, democracy, and economic prosperity thanks to the US, and so Taiwan naturally hopes that the US remains strong and continues to lead the world.
President Lai said that when the US encounters difficulties, whether financial difficulties, reindustrialization issues, or becoming a global center for AI, and hopes to receive support from its friends and allies to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Taiwan is willing to stand together for a common cause. If the US remains strong, he said, that helps Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world as a whole.
Noting that while the vital role of the US on the global stage has not changed, the president said that after decades of shouldering global responsibilities, it has encountered some issues. Now, it has to make adjustments, he said, stating his firm belief that it will do so swiftly, and quickly resume its leadership role in the world.
Asked to comment on remarks he made during his election campaign that he would like to invite China’s President Xi Jinping for bubble tea, President Lai responded that Taiwan is a peace-loving country, and Taiwanese society is inherently kind, and therefore we hope to get along peacefully with China, living in peace and mutual prosperity. So, during his term as vice president, he said, he was expressing the goodwill of Taiwanese society. Noting that while he of course understands that China’s President Xi would have certain difficulties in accepting this, he emphasized that the goodwill of Taiwanese society has always existed. If China reflects on the past two or three decades, he said, it will see that its economy was able to develop with Taiwan as its largest foreign investor. The president explained that every year, 1 to 2 million Taiwanese were starting businesses or investing in China, creating numerous job opportunities and stabilizing Chinese society. While many Taiwanese businesses have profited, he said, Chinese society has benefited even more. He added that every time a natural disaster occurs, if China is in need, Taiwanese always offer donations. Therefore, the president said, he hopes that China can face the reality of the Republic of China’s existence and understand that the people of Taiwan hope to continue living free and democratic lives with respect for human rights. He also expressed hope that China can pay attention to the goodwill of Taiwanese society. He underlined that we have not abandoned the notion that as long as there is parity, dignity, exchange, and cooperation, the goodwill of choosing dialogue over confrontation and exchange over containment will always exist.
Asked for his view on the national security reforms in response to China’s espionage activities and infiltration attempts, President Lai said that China’s united front infiltration activities in Taiwan are indeed very serious. He said that China’s ambitions to annex Taiwan rely not only on the use of political and military intimidation, but also on its long-term united front and infiltration activities in Taiwanese society. Recently, he pointed out, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office of the Ministry of Justice prosecuted 64 spies, which is three times the number in 2021, and in addition to active-duty military personnel, many retired military personnel were also indicted. Moreover, he added, Taiwan also has the Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which has a background in organized crime, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, which was established by retired military personnel, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government, which is also composed of retired generals. He explained that these are all China’s front organizations, and they plan one day to engage in collaboration within Taiwan, which shows the seriousness of China’s infiltration in Taiwan. Therefore, the president said, in the recent past he convened a high-level national security meeting and proposed 17 response strategies across five areas. He then enumerated the five areas: first, to address China’s threat to Taiwan’s sovereignty; second, to respond to the threat of China’s obscuring the Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity; third, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltrating and recruiting members of the ROC Armed Forces as spies; fourth, to respond to the threat of China’s infiltration of Taiwanese society through societal exchanges and united front work; and fifth, to respond to the threat of China using “integration plans” to draw Taiwan’s young people and Taiwanese businesses into its united front activities. In response to these five major threats, he said, he has proposed 17 response strategies, one of which being to restore the military trial system. He explained that if active-duty military personnel commit military crimes, they must be subject to military trials, and said that this expresses the Taiwanese government’s determination to respond to China’s united front infiltration and the subversion of Taiwan.
Responding to the question of which actions Taiwan can take to guard against China’s threats to regional security, President Lai said that many people are worried that the increasingly tense situation may lead to accidental conflict and the outbreak of war. He stated his own view that Taiwan is committed to facing China’s various threats with caution. Taiwan is never the source of these problems, he emphasized, and if there is an accidental conflict and it turns into a full-scale war, it will certainly be a deliberate act by China using an accidental conflict as a pretext. He said that when China expanded its military presence in the East China Sea and South China Sea, the international community did not stop it; when China conducted exercises in the Taiwan Strait, the international community did not take strong measures to prevent this from happening. Now, he continued, China is conducting gray-zone exercises, which are aggressions against not only the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea, but also extending to the Sea of Japan and waters near South Korea. He said that at this moment, Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and even the US should face these developments candidly and seriously, and we must exhibit unity and cooperation to prevent China’s gray-zone aggression from continuing to expand and prevent China from shifting from a military exercise to combat. If no action is taken now, the president said, the situation may become increasingly serious.
Asked about the view of some US analysts who point out that China will have the ability to invade Taiwan around 2027, President Lai responded that Taiwan, as the country on the receiving end of threats and aggression, must plan for the worst and make the best preparations. He recalled a famous saying from the armed forces: “Do not count on the enemy not showing up; count on being ready should it strike.” This is why, he said, he proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, he said, we must strengthen our national defense. Second, he added, we must strengthen economic resilience, adding that not only must our economy remain strong, but it must also be resilient, and that we cannot put all our eggs in the same basket, in China, as we have done in the past. Third, he continued, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with friends and allies such as Japan and the US, as well as the democratic community, and we must demonstrate the strength of deterrence to prevent China from making the wrong judgment. Fourth, he emphasized, as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China and seek cross-strait peace and mutual prosperity through exchanges and cooperation.
Regarding intensifying US-China confrontation, the president was asked in which areas he thinks Taiwan and Japan should strengthen cooperation; with Japan’s Ishiba administration also being a minority government, the president was asked for his expectations for the Ishiba administration. President Lai said that in the face of rapid and tremendous changes in the political situation, every government faces considerable challenges, especially for minority governments, but the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Ishiba has quite adequately responded with various strategies. Furthermore, he said, Japan is different from Taiwan, explaining that although Japan’s ruling party lacks a majority, political parties in Japan engage in competition domestically while exhibiting unity externally. He said that Taiwan’s situation is more challenging, because the ruling and opposition parties hold different views on the direction of the country, due to differences in national identity.
The president expressed his hope that in the future Taiwan and Japan will enjoy even more comprehensive cooperation. He stated that he has always believed that deep historical bonds connect Taiwan and Japan. Over the past several decades, he said, when encountering natural disasters and tragedies, our two nations have assisted each other with mutual care and support. He said that the affection between the people of Taiwan and Japan is like that of a family. Pointing out that both countries face the threat of authoritarianism, he said that we share a mission to safeguard universal values such as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. The president said that our two countries should be more open to cooperation in various areas to maintain regional peace and stability as well as to strengthen cooperation in economic and industrial development, such as for semiconductor industry chains and everyday applications of AI, including robots and drones, adding that we can also cooperate on climate change response, such as in hydrogen energy and other strategies. He said our two countries should also continue to strengthen people-to-people exchanges. He then took the opportunity to once again invite our good friends from Japan to visit Taiwan for tourism and learn more about Taiwan, saying that the Taiwanese people wholeheartedly welcome our Japanese friends.
 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region