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Tsai lauds Taiwan's anti-COVID-19 success in New Year's Day speech

ROC Central News Agency

01/01/2021 02:36 PM

Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) used her 2021 New Year's Day speech Friday to praise Taiwan's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to make the case for Taiwan's growing importance on the international stage.

In her speech delivered from the Presidential Office, Tsai said that for many around the world, 2020 was a year of disrupted routines, economic hardship and steadily rising numbers of deaths caused by COVID-19.

Taiwan, in contrast, was fortunate to have responded early and was thus able to "defeat" the virus through a shared commitment to professionalism, mutual trust and social cohesion, she said.

In terms of the economy, Taiwan has faced many challenges over the last year, but it also has good reason to be optimistic, due to the strong performance of local businesses, stable employment numbers and government investment in emerging technologies, Tsai said.

"Over the past year, Taiwan has achieved what the whole world is longing for -- a normal lifestyle. That is quite an accomplishment," Tsai said, adding that ensuring people can lead a normal life and working toward a global economic recovery will be her top priorities in 2021.

Shifting gears, she recounted several of her administration's achievements, citing the electrification of the South Link rail line, raising the minimum wage, expanding social housing and redesigning the country's passport to emphasize Taiwanese identity.

Lastly, and the most controversial topic on the list, she discussed the decision to open Taiwan's market to imports of pork containing the livestock drug ractopamine -- a move that has been viewed as an effort to satisfy preconditions the United States has set for entering negotiations on a free trade agreement.

Tsai explained that Taiwan "depends on trade to survive" and said she had resolved to move forward on a policy that had been "left pending by three successive administrations."

"With utmost humility, I ask my fellow citizens for your understanding and hope everyone knows that we thought long and hard before we made this decision," she said.

Tsai defended the policy not only in terms of trade but also in geopolitics.

As president, she said, she has a responsibility to be "cautious in building a sustainable long-term future for Taiwan" amid a complex and ever-changing global environment.

Despite the challenges it faces, Tsai said, "from a global standpoint, Taiwan is more important than ever."

In that regard, stabilizing relations across the Taiwan Strait is no longer an issue just for China and Taiwan, but "a concern for the whole Indo-Pacific region" and "a focus of international attention," she said.

On cross-strait affairs, Tsai said that China had "undermined" its relations with Taiwan through its constant military activity around the island, but she reaffirmed that her administration would not "act rashly" in response.

"We are willing to facilitate meaningful dialogue under the principles of parity and dignity, as long as the Beijing authorities sincerely want to resolve differences and improve cross-strait relations," she said.

When the pandemic is over, Tsai added, Taiwan looks forward to the gradual return of people-to-people exchanges across the strait to improve mutual understanding.

For the first time in one of her New Year's Day addresses, Tsai spoke in English when she directed a portion of her remarks to the international audience.

She said that Taiwan was proud to have worked alongside the international community to confront the challenges posed by COVID-19, and to have shown the world that "Taiwan can help."

"As a force for good in the world, we will continue to be an indispensable member of the international community, both now and into the future," she said.

Tsai also expressed gratitude for the international backing Taiwan has received as it faces regional and global challenges. "Our democracy is stronger because of your support," she said.

In closing, Tsai said she was "honored" to have overcome, together with the Taiwanese people, the many challenges presented by 2020 and called for the country to "continue to pull together" in the new year.

(By Wen Kuei-hsiang and Matthew Mazzetta)

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