S P E E C H E S
Shared Values, Twin Histories YOU SI-KUN president of taiwan’s legislative yuan
Speech given at the CALD 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner held on 9 September in Taipei, Taiwan The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats of this year, when Chinese President Tsai was established in 1993, which was the first Ing-Wen passed through the United States year of democracy in Taiwan. Democratic and met with Speaker McCarthy of the U.S. politics is parliamentary politics; 1 February House of Representatives, China arbitrari1993 is the day when Taiwan’s Democratic ly announced sanctions on CALD and its Congress was officially born and began to important members. Your alliance is not exercise its powers. Thirty years after, afraid of coercion by powerful forces Taiwan’s Congress has fully and often speaks out for Taiwan implemented regular elecinternationally. On behalf of tions. Today, the 30th anthe Taiwan Congress, I niversary of the Taiwan would like to express my Democratic Congress, heartfelt respect and “Your we gather together to gratitude. alliance is not celebrate the 30th afraid of coercion anniversary of the esChina’s rise has seen by powerful forces tablishment of CALD, it indulging in doand often speaks which is of special mestic oppression out for Taiwan significance. and external expaninternationally.” sion, taking back its The Council of Asian promise to Hong Kong’s Liberals and Democrats people about having ‘one has not only accorded longcountry, two systems,’ vioterm attention to the devellating its commitments to the opment of Taiwan’s elections and United States by militarizing the democratic politics. It also often speaks out South China Sea, and bullying Taiwan with on international incidents that violate human Tiantian aircraft. Recently, China included rights and endanger freedom and democradisputed territories with neighboring councy. For example, in 2020, China passed the tries into its “New Standard Map,” ignoring “Hong Kong National Security Law”; CALD the protests expressed by nearby nations, immediately condemned it. At the beginning including the Philippines, India, Malaysia, and
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my country. In the face of the Chinese Communist Party’s deliberate destruction of the status quo, escalating tensions in the IndoPacific 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.
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