President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended a symposium commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation on Thursday. He said that many propositions in the declaration have yet to be realized and that it is every Taiwanese citizen’s right and responsibility to continue striving for democracy and freedom.
The original manifesto was written in 1964 by former Senior Advisor to the Taiwanese President Peng Ming-min (彭明敏) alongside his students Roger Hsieh (謝聰敏) and Wei Ting-chao (魏廷朝). The Peng Ming-min Foundation hosted the symposium in an effort to promote intergenerational dialogue about Taiwan’s path to democracy.
Speaking at the event, President Lai said that Peng, Hsieh, and Wei risked their lives to issue the declaration, which advocated for the overthrow of Chiang Kai-shek’s (蒋介石) regime and the establishment of democracy in Taiwan. He paid special tribute to the authors on behalf of the country, saying that great strides have been made in the six decades since they dared to imagine a free and democratic Taiwan.
Sharing his thoughts on the Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation, Lai said it represents the wishes of 12 million Taiwanese people unwilling to be ruled by communism. He went on to say that the threat of communism not only remains, but that it has strengthened and reiterated the importance of continuing to expose the CPP’s ambitions toward Taiwan and ensuring that the next generation can continue to enjoy the same freedoms.