Taiwan's biggest challenge is China: Lai in Hawaii speech

Honolulu, Dec. 1 (CNA) China is the biggest challenge Taiwan faces, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said during a speech at a U.S. government-affiliated think tank in Hawaii on Sunday, as he pledged to strengthen Taiwan's defense capacity and safeguard its 23 million people.

During his second day in the U.S. island state ahead of visiting Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the South Pacific, Lai gave an 8-minute closed-door speech in English at the East-West Center, after which he took questions.

Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧), speaking to reporters about Lai's speech, said that the president pledged to continue implementing the so-called "Four Pillars of Peace action plan" to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

This includes strengthening national defense, economic security, partnerships with democratic countries and stable and principled cross-strait leadership.

Taiwan will also continue to beef up its self-defense capabilities and take a whole-of-society approach to the issue, referencing the Whole of Society Defense Resilience Committee run by the Presidential Office, Kuo quoted Lai as saying.

Kuo added that Lai emphasized the Taiwan-United States partnership, highlighting its role in strengthening Taiwan's self-defense capabilities and its position in the global supply chain, particularly in the semiconductor and high-tech sectors.

The partnership shows Taiwan is a trustworthy reliable strategic partner to like-minded countries, Kuo cited Lai as saying.

The president also noted that Taiwan has continued to promote peace and security across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region by helping its regional allies in areas spanning public health, fisheries, agriculture and climate change in order to keep its promises and enhance ties with Pacific allies.

The president expressed his hope to advance smart sustainability, strengthen democratic resilience, and foster enduring diplomatic ties during his trip to the three allies, the spokeswoman said.

Following his speech, Lai was asked about Taiwan in four or eight years. Kuo said the president answered by stating that the biggest challenge to the country is China.

Lai said that as Taiwan's president, he has three main missions for the nation's overall future development, according to Kuo.

These include continuing Taiwan's sustainable development, strengthening defense capabilities by developing Indigenous self-defense capabilities and/or purchasing weapons from like-minded democratic partners, and looking after the welfare of all Taiwanese, especially the disadvantaged.

Lai said he believes a great country has to be able to take good care of every individual. He also hopes to see Taiwan look to bolster its standing in the world and contribute to global peace, stability and prosperity, Kuo said.

Before Lai's speech, Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, president of the East-West Center, noted that her institution received Lai's predecessor Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in 2017 and 2019.

"President Tsai was here previously. So, in that tradition of bringing people together to talk about the key critical issues of our economic, trade and cultural and educational partnerships, I'm very much looking forward to his speech and talk," Vares-Lum said.

Lai is spending two nights in Hawaii before traveling to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the South Pacific.

On his return journey, the president will visit Guam for a one-day stopover before heading to Palau, another ally, on Dec. 5. He will return to Taiwan on Dec. 6.

The seven-day trip to the South Pacific is Lai's first official overseas visit since assuming office in May.