President Lai Ching-te said July 29 that Taiwan is committed to working with like-minded partners to strengthen democratic values and promote regional and global prosperity and development.
Lai made the remarks while meeting with a U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy delegation led by president and chief executive officer Damon Wilson at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.
The NED works closely with Taiwan civic organizations and private groups to establish partnerships with international nongovernmental organizations, Lai said. He added that Taiwan is key to the global democratic network, citing the country’s top ranking in Asia in the latest Democracy Index released by London-based Economist Intelligence Unit.
Taiwan will continue to contribute to democratic development worldwide, Lai said, citing Taiwan Foundation for Democracy joint work with the NED to promote regional democracy, as well as collaboration with Global Cooperation and Training Framework members including Australia, Canada, Japan and the U.S. to strengthen democracy governance and societal resilience.
According to Lai, Taiwan will further advance its self-defense capabilities, raise public awareness of defense and deepen economy, security and trade ties with other countries to build a secure and stable supply chain in the face of authoritarian expansion.
In response, Wilson said delegation members are focused on building partnerships with the people of Taiwan and ensuring that they can include local organizations and voices in international conversations about the future of democracy and the principles of freedom around the world. He added that they also look forward to continuing to support international organizations such as the International Republican Institute to open offices in Taiwan. (YCH-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw