December 8, 2021
No. 264
US President Joe Biden will be hosting the online Summit for Democracy on December 9 and 10 and has invited leaders and representatives from more than 100 democracies around the world to attend. Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang and Representative to the United States Bi-khim Hsiao will represent the government of Taiwan at the event. The National Security Council; office of Minister without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng; Executive Yuan Department of Gender Equality; Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs, and Justice; National Human Rights Commission; and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy will also have representatives observing the event.
Minister Tang will deliver a national statement for Taiwan via prerecorded video and, at the US’s invitation, participate in a panel discussion on “Countering Digital Authoritarianism and Affirming Democratic Values” to be held from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. on December 10, Taipei time, as part of the Technology for Democracy session. Among the few incumbent government representatives to have been invited as a speaker, Minister Tang will be joining Administrator of the US Agency for International Development Samantha Power and other leaders on the panel. Minister Tang will discuss ways to enhance governance through technology and digital democracy, as well as share Taiwan’s successful experience with employing technology to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, build trust and transparency, and counter state-sponsored disinformation campaigns. Interested individuals are welcome to view the panel discussion, which will be livestreamed on the Summit for Democracy website (www.state.gov/summit-for-democracy).
Representatives of Taiwan’s civil society groups have also been invited to participate in the summit. The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights will serve on the working groups for the Strengthening Democracy and Defending Against Authoritarianism and the Protecting Human Rights sessions, respectively. They will discuss the role that civil society groups can play in safeguarding democratic values.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates the US inviting Taiwan’s government and civil society representatives to participate in the Summit for Democracy. Taiwan will share its successful story of democratization with other participants and will continue to bolster cooperation with the US and other like-minded nations under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and other mechanisms to defend the core values of democracy and freedom. (E)