TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Nearly 50 international delegations visited Taiwan in the first 100 days of the Lai Ching-te (賴清德) administration.

The delegations from the US, Japan, Europe, and other countries have largely been focused on regional peace, bilateral cooperation, and public health, Liberty Times reported. 

Delegations such as the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda discussed building regional stability and economic security. Other groups, including US Representative Marilyn Strickland and Czech Senate Deputy Speaker Jiri Drahos were interested in semiconductor investment and economic cooperation. 

The prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Terrance Drew, and the US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic discussed Taiwan's participation in global health systems during their visits.

Most foreign visits have been from the US, including lawmakers and former officials. Some of them have mentioned that Beijing urged them to "take notice" that the number of delegations visiting Taiwan was three times higher than those visiting China. 

Lai has drawn significant worldwide attention, reflecting Taiwan's growing importance on the global stage, insiders have said. Lai has leveraged Taiwan’s strengths and pragmatically advanced the country’s foreign relations, they added.

Since taking office in May, the president has promoted Taiwan as a defender of democracy against growing authoritarianism.

In his opening remarks at last week’s Ketagalan Forum, Lai called on democracies to jointly counter authoritarianism. “Only by working together can we inhibit the expansion of authoritarianism,” he said. 

He also accused China of intending to alter the rules-based-international order and warned that Beijing will not stop with Taiwan. The president pledged to expand cooperation with democratic partners in all areas, including national defense and security, realizing “peace through strength.”