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Foreign Press Liaison Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan)

Press Release, May 20, 2016

ROC President Dr. Tsai Ing-wen delivers inaugural address

On May 20, 2016, Dr. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was inaugurated as the 14th-term President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). In her address at the inaugural ceremony, President Tsai laid out her vision for Taiwan’s future and elaborated on the policy goals of her administration.

With regard to the ROC’s foreign policy, President Tsai stressed her desire to bring Taiwan closer to the world while upholding the universal values of peace, freedom, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to deepen relationships with friendly democracies including the US, Japan, and European nations. It will also proactively participate in international economic and trade cooperation, as well as free trade negotiations such as the TPP and RCEP. Furthermore, Taiwan will contribute to fostering environmental sustainability.

President Tsai stated her administration’s commitment to strengthening regional peace and stability, emphasizing the importance of fostering closer economic links with other Asian countries. As part of this commitment, President Tsai announced a new southbound policy to broaden exchanges in such areas as technology, culture, and commerce, and expand Taiwan’s ties with ASEAN and India.

Acknowledging the cross-strait talks held in 1992—with their spirit of mutual understanding and political attitude of seeking common ground while setting aside differences—as well as the stable and peaceful cross-strait development that has taken place since then, President Tsai called for positive dialogue for the benefit of both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

As for economic policy, President Tsai said her administration will pursue a new economic model for sustainable development based on the core values of innovation, employment, and equitable distribution, aiming to leverage Taiwan’s maritime economy, high-quality human resources, strong engineering culture, well-developed industrial chain, nimble small and medium enterprises, and relentless entrepreneurial spirit.

In her address, President Tsai also touched on various domestic issues, such as pension and judicial reform, long-term care mechanisms, and transitional justice. She explained the need to enhance prospects for young people, and pledged to promote the development of indigenous communities.

For the full text of President Tsai’s inaugural address, please see the website of the Office of the President (http://english.president.gov.tw/Default.aspx?tabid=491&itemid=37416&rmid=2355).