Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim conveyed hope of collaborating with California-headquartered RAND Corp. and Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies to enhance societal resilience and ensure continued prosperity amid the complicated geopolitical climate.
Hsiao made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the two institutions led by Jude Blanchette, director of RAND’s China Research Center, Feb. 18 at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. Other prominent guests included Seth G. Jones, president of CSIS’ Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair, and Daniel Byman, director of CSIS’ Warfare, Irregular Threats and Terrorism Program.
Building Taiwan’s capacity to weather challenges is a top priority for President Lai Ching-te, the vice president said, adding that he has established the Whole-of-Society Resilience Committee to reinforce defense capabilities at the individual, local and national levels. The move aims to counter China’s escalating military aggression, gray zone activities and hybrid threats such as recent undersea cable damage, Hsiao noted.
The vice president concluded by thanking the guests for supporting Taiwan and lauding their research on ways to enhance the country’s overall resilience. (POC-E)
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