On Tuesday, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the opening ceremony of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) Workshop on Whole-of-Society Resilience Building, Preparation, and Response. Reaffirming Taiwan’s commitment to enhancing social resilience, Lai outlined three key initiatives which are to strengthen disaster response capabilities, improve public emergency preparedness, and leverage Taiwan’s expertise to contribute globally.
In his speech, the President said that the world is facing a series of challenges, including extreme climate events, pandemics, and energy crises. He adds that the expansion of authoritarianism poses a serious threat to freedom-loving nations. Lai points out that these challenges transcend national borders and cannot be tackled by any single country alone. He says the GCTF serves as an important platform for Taiwan to share its experiences with the world and expand its collaboration with other countries to address global challenges collectively.
Lai also highlighted Taiwan’s advanced communications and technological capabilities. Moving forward, he says Taiwan will continue to establish a more robust cybersecurity protection system and expand the application of emerging technologies. He says Taiwan aims to foster mutual assistance and exchanges with other countries to jointly promote global stability and prosperity.
To bolster disaster response, Taiwan will enhance drills between central and local governments and expand public emergency training programs. Lai thanked the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) for its partnership with the Taiwan Development Association for Disaster Medical Teams in training citizens in first aid since 2021. Lai says the government is also promoting training for disaster prevention officers and establishing the Taiwan Community Emergency Response Teams (T-CERT) to involve civilians in disaster relief.