President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the 2025 “China-Taiwan Lunar New Year Business Event” on Monday, where he pledged to stabilize exchange rates, interest rates, and prices.
In his speech, Lai spoke about Taiwan’s positive economic performance in 2024, citing both the economic growth rate and stock market performance. He said that as part of the government’s responsibility for making room for entrepreneurs to expand, investment measures would be promoted and expanded to small and medium enterprises and start-ups. In addition to the Three Major Programs for Investment in Taiwan, the government will continue to stabilize exchange and interest rates, and review other subsidies including those for water, and electricity. Lai also stressed the goal of maintaining a 2025 consumer price index between 1.8 - 1.9%.
The president also reiterated his three missions, which include safeguarding national sovereignty and development, protecting the lives and property of the people, as well as their quality of life. Lai said that Taiwan’s development and continuance as the Republic of China is inextricable from the need for sovereignty. On that basis, he vowed to uphold the Four-Pillars of Peace action plan initially proposed by former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Lai detailed that Taiwan welcomes healthy and orderly exchange with China, with provisions for equality and dignity without preconditions, moving towards a shared goal of peace.
The president pointed out that Taiwan and China share a common enemy in worsening natural disasters such as earthquakes. They are united with the same goal– the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait– something he has always advocated throughout his career. He expressed his hope that, in the future, exchanges and dialogue would replace blockades and confrontation.