Taiwan's democracy, tech developments on display at Presidential Office

Taipei, Nov. 1 (CNA) A new permanent exhibition showcasing Taiwan's journey toward being a vibrant democratic society and a tech powerhouse has recently opened at the Presidential Office building in Taipei.

The exhibition, "Together as One with Taiwan: The Ark of Democracy," marked the first under President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), who took office in May, and emphasized the democratic values that are "most cherished" in Taiwan, the General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC), the main organizer, told CNA.

The Presidential Office's permanent exhibitions are updated every four years to align with the tenures of Taiwanese presidents, according to the GACC.

Speaking of the messages embodied in the exhibition, which opened in mid-October, the GACC described Taiwan as "an ark" in the Pacific Ocean and its citizens as the "navigators" of the vessel.

As everyone works together with "democracy as [their] compass" and "under the banner of freedom, human rights and the rule of law," the ark, propelled by advanced technology, will "sail toward the world," the organization added.

Democracy is the "foundation" of Taiwanese society, the GACC said, noting that the exhibition sought to illustrate how this has driven progress in the country through numerous images capturing key moments from social movements that contributed to Taiwan's democratization.

The exhibition also highlighted Taiwan's tech prowess by featuring TSMC founder Morris Chang's (張忠謀) manuscripts and the remnants of the first wafers produced in Taiwan, among other objects symbolic of the country's technological achievements.

In addition, real-time images of views from Xiangshan in Taipei, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the Techi Dam in Taichung, and the Dongyin Visitor Center in the outlying island of Matsu, among others, will expose visitors to Taiwan's natural landscape, the GACC said.

The exhibition is free of charge but entry to the Presidential Office building requires identification documents.

The building is accessible to visitors from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday to Friday, and usually on the first Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The GACC, currently headed by Lai, is a government-funded organization tasked with expanding Taiwan's cultural outreach.