Shared Values, Twin Histories
YOU SI-KUN president of taiwan’s legislative yuanSpeech given at the CALD 30th Anniversary Gala
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats was established in 1993, which was the frst year of democracy in Taiwan. Democratic politics is parliamentary politics; 1 February 1993 is the day when Taiwan’s Democratic Congress was ofcially born and began to exercise its powers. Thirty years after, Taiwan’s Congress has fully implemented regular elections. Today, the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Democratic Congress, we gather together to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of CALD, which is of special signifcance.
“Your
of this year, when Chinese President Tsai Ing-Wen passed through the United States and met with Speaker McCarthy of the U.S. House of Representatives, China arbitrarily announced sanctions on CALD and its important members. Your alliance is not afraid of coercion by powerful forces and often speaks out for Taiwan internationally. On behalf of the Taiwan Congress, I would like to express my heartfelt respect and gratitude.
alliance is not afraid of coercion by powerful forces and often speaks out for Taiwan internationally.”
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats has not only accorded longterm attention to the development of Taiwan’s elections and democratic politics. It also often speaks out on international incidents that violate human rights and endanger freedom and democracy. For example, in 2020, China passed the “Hong Kong National Security Law”; CALD immediately condemned it. At the beginning
China’s rise has seen it indulging in domestic oppression and external expansion, taking back its promise to Hong Kong’s people about having ‘one country, two systems,’ violating its commitments to the United States by militarizing the South China Sea, and bullying Taiwan with Tiantian aircraft. Recently, China included disputed territories with neighboring countries into its “New Standard Map,” ignoring the protests expressed by nearby nations, including the Philippines, India, Malaysia, and
my country. In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s deliberate destruction of the status quo, escalating tensions in the IndoPacifc region, and jeopardizing international peace and stability, unity and cooperation among liberal democracies have become even more important.
Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country that has always advocated for freedom, democracy, and respect for diversity. We will continue to support and cooperate closely with democratic allies with similar ideas to jointly safeguard the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and promote international peace, stability, prosperity and development. We look forward to more exchanges with democratic parties around the world in the future.
