TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) highlighted Taiwan's efforts to strengthen its defenses against China while speaking on Friday at the Halifax International Security Forum in Taipei.
Hsiao said that the forum’s decision to hold its first-ever session in Taiwan reflects the international community’s recognition of the country’s efforts to promote democracy, freedom, and peace in the Indo-Pacific region. She said it also places greater responsibility on Taiwan to safeguard these values.
With ongoing global conflicts, she reminded the audience that vigilance is necessary and peace cannot be taken for granted. She said there is much work to be done and there is urgency for action.
The vice president argued “values do matter” and democracy is the superior system of governance that “empowers humanity to strive for peace.” She also underscored the need to take a cautious and pragmatic approach to countering totalitarianism and aggression.
Hsiao highlighted President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) “Four Pillars of Peace” strategy which “focuses on strengthening Taiwan's defense, building economic security, enhancing partnerships with democratic nations, exercising steady and principled leadership in cross-strait relations.”
She said Taiwan is putting the first of these pillars into action by steadily raising the defense budget and enacting a series of defense reforms. These reforms include enhanced professional conscription, reservist training, prioritizing asymmetric weapon acquisitions, and establishing a defense innovation office.
Hsiao pointed out that Taiwan deals with daily cyber attacks, cognitive warfare, and diplomatic bullying from China meant to compromise the country's economic and political security weakening public faith in democracy. She said that the best deterrent to such aggression is to heighten society's commitment to self-defense.
To fortify stakeholder contributions to the country's defense, she said Lai has also established the "Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee," which aims to strengthen Taiwan's energy, cyber, financial, communications, and infrastructure resilience. It also establishes medical and food stockpiles.
Hsiao pointed out that the Mandarin word for “crisis” (危機) contains the words “danger” and “opportunity.” Hsiao said that she has learned “tactical lessons” from cats to respond to global challenges with agility.
She said there are times when one must remain concealed, while at other times, one must leap to great heights. She emphasized the need to tread softly and cautiously, but to keep “our claws sharpened and prepared for a good defense and to further hunt and pounce on opportunities of prey.”
The vice president emphasized that Taiwan's strength is not merely a diplomatic slogan but a “realistic and indispensable requirement for sustaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.” She explained that, “an investment in Taiwan's strength is an investment in peace.”
Quoting a statement made by a visiting Canadian senator on Thursday, Hsiao said, “One must not mistake our people's humility and friendliness for weakness.” The vice president said Taiwan is committed to safeguarding democracy and freedom and is dedicated to partnering with like-minded countries to maintain peace by building strength.
