Taiwan to remain 'steady, responsible' regional player: Hsiao

Taipei, April 13 (CNA) Under the leadership of President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Taiwan will continue to be a steady and responsible member of the Indo-Pacific region, Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said at a forum in Taipei on Saturday.

Over the last eight years, President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) steady leadership has facilitated "a very smooth channel of communication" between Taiwan and the United States and enabled a bilateral relationship built on "mutual trust" and "zero incidents," she said.

It is expected that under Lai's leadership, Taiwan will continue to be a "stable [and] responsible" member of the Indo-Pacific region and contribute to regional prosperity, Hsiao said, adding that this would be "key" to further building up goodwill from both sides.

Hsiao, who takes office on May 20, was invited to address the opening of the forum on the 45th anniversary of the U.S.' Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which serves as a foundation for Washington's policy towards Taipei in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

She reiterated Lai's commitment to his "four-pillar" plan to safeguard peace and stability in Taiwan, which underscores the importance of defense capability, economic security, partnerships with other democracies, as well as stable and consistent cross-Taiwan Strait policy.

At the same time, Hsiao continued, the people of Taiwan need to "demonstrate [their] resolve to defend freedom, democracy, and our sovereignty" while accelerating military reforms in order to garner more support internationally.

According to Hsiao, relations between Taiwan and the U.S. will continue to grow despite both facing new global challenges, in particular the protracted war in Ukraine waged by Russia, the Israel-Hamas war, and China's destabilizing activities in the region.

She anticipated more bilateral collaborations in the fields of education, technology and culture, and expressed hope the U.S. Congress would expedite the legislative process regarding the avoidance of double taxation with Taiwan.

The forum, which also features speakers such as former U.S. military official Tony Hu, is organized by the Formosa Republican Association, a conservative civil society group dedicated to promoting Taiwan's ties with the U.S.