TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Resilience has become a central pillar of Taiwan’s governance and national development, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said during a meeting with a German Marshall Fund delegation on Friday.
She said Taiwan continues to maintain stable economic growth despite facing numerous challenges while also treasuring its democratic system, which allows policies to benefit the public and drive progress, per the Presidential Office.
Hsiao pointed out that Taiwan’s economy grew 8.6% over the past year. She added that a significant part of Taiwan’s economic success could be attributed to its partnerships with the US and other democratic countries.
Hsiao said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) is committed to finding ways to strengthen Taiwan’s overall defense capabilities. The country is facing increasing gray-zone threats across multiple domains, including airspace, maritime areas, and legal arenas, she commented.
Therefore, in addition to continuing defense reforms, the government is also bolstering “whole-of-society defense resilience.” Taiwan has in recent years also drawn lessons from the valuable experiences of European democratic partners in strengthening societal and civilian resilience, the vice president added.
