Full text of ex-President Tsai Ing-wen's Berlin Freedom Conference speech
ROC Central News Agency
11/10/2025 10:31 PM
Taipei, Nov. 10 (CNA) Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended the inaugural Berlin Freedom Week event in Berlin, Germany, on Monday and was invited to deliver a speech at the Berlin Freedom Conference titled "Threats facing democracies: Taiwan's experience defending freedom."
The following is the full text of Tsai's speech.
It is a great honor to join you here on this very special occasion: the inaugural Berlin Freedom Conference.
I want to begin by taking this opportunity to thank the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, visitBerlin, and the World Liberty Congress for the invitation to speak here. I would also like to thank, Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin, for hosting us.
It is wonderful to be back in Germany after almost 15 years. It is great to come back here and be among so many like-minded friends and advocates of democracy.
Many of you here have dedicated your lives and careers to defending democracy and its values. A lot of you have made tremendous sacrifices in pursuit of those values. Yet, you remain steadfast when faced with some of the most difficult challenges.
It is an honor to be in the company of such courageous people, who have been so persistent and determined in your efforts to make the world a better place.
Berlin Freedom Week commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall on the ninth of November 1989. Thirty-six years later, this event is perhaps still the most striking symbol of democracy's victory over authoritarianism. I hope being here in Berlin and at this conference can inspire us all to develop strategies to further secure what we worked so hard to achieve and hold so close to our hearts.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was a major turning point that allowed freedom to flourish in the former Eastern Bloc and beyond. And that freedom was accompanied by a new sense of hope and progress.
In the wake of this wave of democratization, Taiwan made its own effort to join the democratic world. But, our road to democracy was also not easy. It was preceded by decades of authoritarian rule. During that time, Taiwanese were sent to prisons for voicing dissent, and media freedom was limited.
Despite this, the Taiwanese people did not give up hope, nor did they give up their democratic dreams. Eventually, their persistent efforts led to Taiwan's first democratic presidential election in 1996, and a period of democratic consolidation followed. Today, Taiwan is recognized as the world's freest and most vibrant democracy.
However, as we celebrate and treasure the progress that Taiwan and so many other countries have made in past decades, the threats to democracy have also become even more severe.
In recent years, for much of the world, democracy has been under increasing threat.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine served as a wake-up call to all, and Europe has awoken to the extent of this threat; which after more than three years of war, continues to grow. Russia has been attempting to test the boundaries of more European countries with incursions into their airspace and disruptions to critical infrastructure, such as undersea cables.
In Europe, as in Asia, the authoritarian toolkit is very similar. Much of the destabilizing tactics Taiwan has faced in recent years tend to find their way to Europe eventually. We have seen this in the form of cognitive warfare and information manipulation, which are hard to identify and counter, but have long-lasting, harmful consequences for democratic societies.
These campaigns include disinformation, internet trolls, and media infiltration, all of which are no longer restricted by language barriers due to advances in AI technology. Through these methods, authoritarians attempt to take advantage of the free and open nature of democratic societies to interfere in elections and drive division, while eroding trust in government and in democracy.
Now is the consequential time for democracies to reach out and adapt in order to keep our countries safe and our economies prosperous. The rules of engagement have changed, so our collective strategies must evolve with them. Making ourselves resilient in the face of authoritarian challenges is the key to our survival.
In Taiwan, we know what resilience looks like. We understand all too well the danger posed by those who seek to exploit democracy's imperfections. Now, we are experiencing much-intensified threats and intimidation almost on a daily basis.
Our neighbor thought that by routinizing influence operations, grayzone activities, and military exercises, Taiwanese would be debilitated by fear or become complacent. Contrary to that, the people of Taiwan utilized these challenges as the basis to build their resilience.
Resilience has helped us defend our elections. It helped us weather the challenges posed by the pandemic. And it helped us counter information manipulation. For Taiwan, resilience comes in many forms, from individual to collective, from economic to security.
It is crucial that we deepen security cooperation between democracies. A practical step in this direction would be to develop communication and information sharing mechanisms. A united democratic response would be much more difficult to break down for authoritarians. Here, Taiwan has much to contribute. I want to take this opportunity to share with you our experiences in strengthening our defense and building resilience for the protection of our democracy.
Taiwan has been proactively building its resilience on multiple fronts. Particularly, Taiwan has continued to increase its investments in defense. During my presidency, from 2016 to 2024, Taiwan's defense budget rose by over 80 percent -- at a rate of nearly eight percent per year. This was the most organized and systematic defense investment Taiwan has ever made.
My successor, President Lai Ching-te, continues to increase investment as required by our security needs. In addition to investments in traditional platforms such as combat aircraft, Taiwan has made substantial investments in asymmetric capabilities like mobile land-based anti-ship cruise missiles. Taiwan has also invested in the resilience and security of our critical infrastructure.
We have also learned from the experiences of our friends in Europe. In particular, we have launched the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency to intensify our efforts to reform reserve force training and to build whole-of-society defense resilience.
Taiwan has also fortified its digital infrastructure to withstand cyber threats, and has coordinated with civil society to counter information manipulation. As technology continues to advance, we have been working hard to enhance our technological capabilities in confronting foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), as well as cognitive warfare.
And, through strategic partnerships, Taiwan has built an ecosystem that is ready to contribute to the security of the global supply chain. Our high-tech sector, particularly in semiconductors, has become an indispensable part of the global economy. In an age where AI also defines power, Taiwan's chip industry also anchors global prosperity.
These initiatives will maximize Taiwan's self-reliance in defense and societal resilience in the face of threats. Taiwan is willing to share its experience. We are also willing to bear our share of burden, and do not take our security partners' support for granted.
The efforts we have made are more than defending our homeland; they also represent Taiwan's contribution to regional stability and the security of democracy globally.
Regional stability and global security, of course, are a joint responsibility which requires joint efforts. Like-minded countries, no matter how near or far, can contribute by using their voices to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Taking a clear and united stance in support of Taiwan's security is in itself a meaningful form of deterrence against authoritarian expansion.
Taiwan is appreciative of the statements made by the G7, the European Union, the US, and the German Bundestag in recent years, as such statements have demonstrated the international community's deep concern and desire for stability in the Taiwan Strait. Statements like these tell Beijing that Taiwan is not alone; and show the Taiwanese people that they have supports.
While today, Taiwan is on the frontline of the defense of democracy; tomorrow it could be any one of us. Increasing collaboration to strengthen our defense should be a priority for all democracies, so that our security and democratic way of life can be assured for generations to come.
Today's conference is a meaningful step toward realizing greater cooperation among people and organizations, in our endeavor to build stronger support for freedom and democracy. Just like the fall of the Berlin Wall brought the German people together as a stronger democratic force, I hope Berlin Freedom Week sets us on the course to build a stronger and more unified international democratic community.
Taiwan and all those that share our values have a key role to play in ensuring that democracy prevails. While it may seem like we are faced with unprecedented challenges, I am confident that by working together, we will create a bright future for free societies.
Lastly, I would like to thank all the organizers for putting together an inspiring week of events. I wish each of you a fulfilling Berlin Freedom Week and even greater motivation in your work to promote freedom and democracy.
Thank you.
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