President highlights democratic values in Lunar New Year greetings

Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said in a short Lunar New Year greeting to the global Chinese-speaking community Sunday that she hoped all members of the community would one day be able to enjoy freedom and democracy.

In the two-minute video address that was posted on her various social media accounts, including her Facebook page, Tsai expressed Lunar New Year greetings to the Chinese-speaking community throughout the world, speaking not only in Mandarin, Taiwanese and Hakka, but also in Cantonese and Teochew for the first time.

She said Taiwan has a heritage of traditional Chinese culture and also upholds freedom and democracy.

"It is a kind of happiness, and a value Taiwanese hold strong," Tsai said.

While people in places where democracy does not exist may not understand those values that Taiwanese believe in so deeply, Tsai said, she hoped everyone in the Chinese-speaking community would one day know the joys of freedom and democracy.