Dr. Chen Wen Yen, Chairman of the Global Taiwan Institute, Executive Director Russell Hsiao, my dear friends in DC, ladies and gentlemen:
Greetings from Taipei!
I would like to express my appreciation to the Global Taiwan Institute for inviting me to deliver remarks again this year. Though I cannot be there in person, I cherish this opportunity to say hello and to bring you updates on the relations between Taiwan and the US. I would also like to share with you Taiwan's unstoppable contributions to the world.
But first of all, I want to congratulate GTI on your third anniversary and third annual symposium. Your impressive record of policy research, programs, and publications has done much to advance Taiwan-US relations, and we thank you for all your hard work.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. This law has played an indispensable role in shaping American strategy in Asia, and has provided a reliable security umbrella for my country. It has served, along with the Six Assurances, as a guiding principle and cornerstone for a deep, robust, and comprehensive partnership between Taiwan and the US. Since I last spoke with you, we in Taiwan have continued to strengthen our partnership on political, security, economic, regional, and global issues, with very significant results.
This year I accompanied President Tsai on two state visits to our Pacific and Caribbean allies. While we were transiting the US, the people in Taiwan could really feel the level of American support. Take the latest transits in July for example: We had the longest transit time ever; we were able to tour the great Mile-high City of Denver for the first time; also for the first time ever, we held a public event at our New York office and met with our allies' ambassadors to the UN. In addition, the President had her first reception for the press in the US. After the transits in July, I guess no one will question US support for Taiwan any longer.
The progress in Taiwan-US relations could also be seen in June when the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA) was renamed the Taiwan Council for U.S. Affairs (TCUSA). This name change may seem like a small step, but it is highly significant for US recognition of the new reality, different from 1979.
Since 2017, the US government has announced five arms sales packages to Taiwan worth over 12 billion dollars. This highlights the great US support for Taiwan's defense needs. Just last month the State Department notified Congress of the sale of F-16V fighter jets. This came after the July announcement of Abrams tanks. We are extremely grateful. We will continue to ramp up our defense investments and bolster our self-defense capabilities. We want to preserve peace and stability through strength. And I want to make it clear to you: We are determined to defend ourselves, and nothing will alter our determination.
In the midst of the US-China trade dispute, the Taiwan delegation, with 112 members, was again the largest to the SelectUSA Investment Summit. Our willingness to invest in America and to boost the Taiwan-US trade partnership was very much in evidence. In addition, our Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission will arrive in the US next week to arrange purchases of soybeans, corn, wheat, and meat products. The mission will shell out 3.7 billion US dollars over the next two years. We are supporting American farmers with direct action. As America's 11th-largest trading partner, we thus hope for constructive talks with the US on bilateral trade as soon as possible. Our aim is to consolidate a free, open, and rules-based economic order in the Indo-Pacific.
We very much appreciate the long-term US backing for our meaningful participation in international organizations. In May, US Secretary of Health Alex Azar expressed support for Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly. He emphasized that the voice of the 23 million people of Taiwan deserved to be heard. And in July, PDAS Jonathan Moore said that the US would forcefully advocate for Taiwan's participation across the international system, including ICAO, INTERPOL, and anywhere else Taiwan can contribute.
PDAS Moore got it right: Taiwan can contribute, and has long been contributing on many fronts. As President Tsai has said, Taiwan is a contributor to regional peace, not a troublemaker. You know very well that someone else is entitled to that reputation. Taiwan must keep on contributing to the world and acting as a force for good.
We have been sending agricultural and medical teams to small countries across the Indo-Pacific to benefit people who do not have adequate resources. We have been providing scholarships and job training opportunities to help build up their capacity. We have started providing micro loans to women in some countries, which is an important step to empower women. We are also working with the US in training future leaders in the Pacific. Our effort is proudly described as the Taiwan model of assistance—benefiting the people directly, and leaving no debt trap behind.
I am very glad to tell you that our aid efforts are now supported by OPIC. We have been in close consultation with each other on specific programs. We have worked out our first joint project in Paraguay, and hopefully we will have many to follow elsewhere.
We are equally proud when it comes to sanctions against North Korea. We are deprived of the right to participate in the UN, but this does not deter us from following UN resolutions. In fact, we have gone beyond the UN sanctions, and the US government has publicly and repeatedly expressed appreciation for Taiwan's efforts. Meanwhile, we continue to work with the US as a member of the anti-ISIS Coalition by providing humanitarian assistance to Iraq and Syria. In addition, our medical supplies have also reached Venezuela, a country where our office was forced to close down by the government there. We are not asking for any reward or even publicity in doing all these. We do it because it is the right thing to do to make Taiwan a force for good in the world.
Many in the US say that the most important foundation for Taiwan-US relations is our shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and good governance. I agree. And we do more than just sharing our values and beliefs. Taiwan is actively turning itself into a role model in promoting universal values of freedom and democracy. In March, AIT Director Christensen and I announced the establishment of the Indo-Pacific Democratic Governance Consultations. Right at this very moment, DAS Scott Busby is in Taipei with a delegation for the first dialogue under this platform. Also in March, after our requests, Taiwan held the first Civil Society Dialogue on Securing Religious Freedom in the Indo-Pacific. This was the first regional conference following the "Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom" in DC last fall. Ambassador Sam Brownback was here for that, and has since had many good things to say about it. As an official who helped make this happen, I am damned proud of it.
We are also continuing to expand the activities of the Taiwan-US Global Cooperation and Training Framework. I have directed that the MOFA budget for GCTF be increased threefold. I am very glad to tell you that Japan has become a cohost beginning from this year. It is a true framework for Taiwan-US-Japan cooperation. You may not believe it, but Sweden will soon follow as another cohost. I can envision that more like-minded countries will recognize the value of the GCTF and join this effort started by Taiwan and the US in 2015.
Director Christensen said in March that the US could not ask for a better partner when it comes to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Secretary Pompeo also described Taiwan as a reliable partner, a democratic success story, and a force for good in the world. We are quite pleased when hearing all these remarks, and they motivate Taiwan to work with the US to do more good for the world.
Nevertheless, the challenges we face have become graver. The military threat posed by the other side of the Taiwan Strait is more serious than ever. China is still making our international participation extremely difficult. Furthermore, Beijing has been forcing NGOs, businesses, and academic institutions around the world to designate Taiwan as "Taiwan, China" or "Taiwan Province of China," even though democratic Taiwan has nothing to do with authoritarian China. Moreover, China has been penetrating into Taiwan society, particularly through disinformation campaigns, to sow the seeds of distrust of democracy.
As the protest activities continue in Hong Kong, China has threatened to resort to forceful means against the Pearl of the East by citing Taiwan's nonexistent intervention as an excuse. Despite all the challenges, we will never give in and we will not stay quiet. Taiwan has to remain democratic and resilient, so that the people in Hong Kong can keep their hope of democracy alive.
As a democratic frontline state fighting against the expansion of authoritarianism, we understand our responsibility. We will not budge an inch on our democratic way of life and our values. We want to survive and thrive just to prove that democracy is a better path for mankind.
We are fully aware that we are not alone in this long struggle. The more Taiwan serves as a reliable democratic partner and a force for good in the world, the more like-minded friends we will have to back us up. We are confident in the fight to defend democracy and the democratic way of life. My dear friends, I said this last year, and want to say it again now: democratic Taiwan is David to authoritarian China's Goliath. And like David, democracy will prevail, and Taiwan will prevail.
Thank you.