- TAIWANTODAY.TW - Top News - 01/Sep 00:00

Lai pledges to shape secure, sustainable Taiwan

President Lai Ching-te said Sept. 10 that the government is committed to strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors to build a more secure, stable and sustainable future for Taiwan.   Lai made the remarks at a forum on national security and economic resilience in Taipei City. He outlined four key areas of Taiwan’s national security resilience spanning digital communications, the economy, supply chains and whole-of-society defense during the event.   Taiwan plays a key role in the global semiconductor supply chain and must ensure its strategic independence in the face of geopolitical tensions and global trade volatility, the president said. He cited the Five Trusted Industry Sectors Promotion Plan and added that the government will improve the country’s key technological capacities and deepen international collaboration.   Lai said that the government is promoting multi-layered network construction and protection, including submarine cables and low-Earth orbit satellites, while seeking to deploy sovereign satellites to ensure resilient communications under any circumstances. It also continues to strengthen the social safety net and implement crisis drills to solidify people’s trust when facing challenges like natural disasters and geopolitical impacts, he added.   The president praised Taiwan’s economic growth of 6.75 percent and unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in the first half of 2025. He added that the government will implement a NT$93 billion (US$3 billion) industry support initiative proposed by the Executive Yuan to assist micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises upgrade and transform despite U.S. tariffs.   Lai further urged financial institutions to ensure free and secure capital flow in Taiwan and vowed to promote the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects to encourage artificial intelligence applications in all sectors. He added that the government is determined to balance economic diversification, social stability, strategic independence and technological security to make Taiwan a reliable partner to other democracies around the world. (YCH-E)   Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw