President Tsai Ing-wen addressed the crowd at a celebration in Taipei City in honor of National Day Oct. 10, describing Taiwan’s domestic and international successes.
Tsai said that the past seven years have seen complicated political and economic conditions around the world, in addition to an unprecedented epidemic and extreme climate events that have challenged the resilience of global democracies.
Despite these challenges, Taiwan has stayed the course and continued to move forward, as evidenced by the unveiling of the country’s first indigenous submarine at the end of September. The craft, called Narwhal, showcases Taiwan’s dedication to autonomy in national defense as well as the enhancement of asymmetrical military power.
The president went on to thank military personnel, civil servants, educators and laborers for their understanding throughout the pension reform process, which has set the government on firm footing as it looks to the sustainability of the fund for future generations. She added that the minimum wage has been raised for eight consecutive years and a draft bill for a minimum wage law has been submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review.
Tsai also spoke of the improvements in the electrical operating reserve since she first took office and the focus on green energy generation during her administration. She emphasized that the changes must not stop or slow as Taiwan continues its pursuit of net-zero emissions in 2050 by expediting energy storage network construction and the enhancement of grid resilience.
The president also praised the hard work of Taiwan’s people. The country’s gross domestic product is forecast to exceed NT$23 trillion (US$717 billion) this year up from NT$17.5 trillion when she first took office. Tsai added that the government’s commitment to building infrastructure and advancing the Six Core Strategic Industries has played a role in this growth, especially in the ways it has enabled Taiwan to become an indispensable player in global supply chains.
Tsai said that over her two terms as president, she has kept her promise to maintain the status quo in cross-strait relations. She said that the world has realized that cross-strait security and stability is key to the safety and prosperity of the international community as a whole. The president concluded with a declaration that peace is the only option for the two entities across the strait and vowed to continue pursuing a peaceful coexistence between the two sides.
Source: Taiwan Today
