President Tsai Ing-wen says that Taiwan is the first line of defense for democracy values. That description came Monday during a meeting with a delegation from a Washington-based think tank -- the American Enterprise Institute.
During the meeting, President Tsai spoke about Taiwan’s recent efforts to better defend its democracy. One of those efforts was passing a bill designed to block outside interference in Taiwan’s politics and elections.
Tsai said that in the future, Taiwan is hoping to work with nations that share its values to further contribute to global democracy.
The president also had words of condolence for the ongoing bushfires in Australia, while speaking with an Australian-born member of the delegation,
Tsai said that Taiwan, the US, and Australia are firm partners in the Indo-Pacific region. She said that her time in office has seen the three countries work closely in a number of areas. Tsai said that in the future, they will continue to contribute to the region in the areas of disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, women’s empowerment, and the digital economy.
Tsai also spoke about the state of Taiwan-US ties. She said that under her administration, bilateral relations have reached their highest point ever. She also said that well-known US companies are making major investments in Taiwan.
President Tsai said Taiwan will continue working to sign a trade agreement with the US. She said that would benefit both sides by driving economic growth.