Tien, Chung-kwang
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
August 21, 2024
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good afternoon!
It is a privilege to address you at the conclusion of this year’s Ketagalan Forum. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend my deepest gratitude to all of you. Your contributions enriched our discussions and were instrumental to the success of the event.
In particular, would like to express my appreciation to the Honorable Yoshihiko Noda, former Prime Minister of Japan, and the Honorable Eduard Heger, former Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, as well as our other distinguished speakers, panelists, and participants. Your presence is testament to your unwavering commitment to our shared values.
As we navigate today’s challenges, Taiwan’s role as an indispensable partner in the global community has become even more pronounced. We stand ready to collaborate with our international partners, share our experience and expertise, and jointly build a brighter future.
Throughout this event, we have engaged in illuminating conversations on the key issues of democracy, security, and economics. The conclusions of the forum will guide us as we continue to promote a comprehensive foreign policy built on three pillars—values-based diplomacy centered on democracy, alliance diplomacy centered on peace, and economic diplomacy centered on prosperity. By doing so, we will strengthen the democratic alliance, enhance regional security, and advance global development.
Taiwan remains firmly committed to values-based diplomacy. In democratic societies, the interests of the people come first. This core principle permeates all aspects of our foreign policy, including cooperation on peace and security, trade and economics, and science and technology.
Given the rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait and in the South and East China Seas, there is an undeniable need for vigilance and proactive measures to ensure regional stability. Today’s discussion underscored Taiwan’s critical role in maintaining the status quo. It also stressed the importance of constructive engagement and cooperation to stabilize the situation in contested waters. Through alliance diplomacy, Taiwan will bolster national defense, enhance regional stability, and promote world peace.
Economic diplomacy means leveraging our competitive advantages in key industries such as the semiconductor sector, which commands a significant share of the global market. We want to work with like-minded countries on de-risking strategies to build resilient global supply chains.
By integrating Taiwan’s economic and technological strengths into our diplomatic efforts, we will amplify our influence on the global stage. This includes transitioning from the strategy of solidifying alliances to creating a new framework of prosperous alliances that empower communities, transform lives, and create sustainable development. We want our partners to feel a sense of pride and honor to be allied with Taiwan.
Our guiding principle is “Taiwan can help, and Taiwan can lead.” We must seize the opportunity to project Taiwan’s leadership role around the world, deepen multilateral ties, and make Taiwan an integral part of the international community. We are confronted by many challenges, but as Winston Churchill once said, “The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” Let us be those optimists.
In conclusion, the insights and ideas generated during this forum equip us with the knowledge and resolve to face future problems. Our commitment to upholding democratic principles, protecting global security, and ensuring economic resilience is unwavering.
The collective wisdom and cooperation we have witnessed at this forum reaffirm our shared commitment to these goals. Thank you once again for your presence. I wish you good health and happiness and look forward to seeing you all again next year. Thank you.