President Lai Ching-te said March 17 that Taiwan will continue deepening cooperation with partners including New Southbound Policy target countries to create greater regional stability and prosperity for the world.
The president made the remarks while delivering his opening address for the two-day Yushan Forum in Taipei City. This year’s event, titled “New Southbound Policy+: Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific and a New World,” was attended by academics, business leaders, experts and political figures from countries spanning Canada, Czechia, Japan, Lithuania, Poland, New Zealand, Thailand and the U.S., with high-profile guests including former Denmark Prime Minister and Alliance of Democracies Foundation Chair Anders Fogh Rasmussen and former Slovenia PM Janez Janša.
According to Lai, the NSP has led to great success in economic and trade cooperation, professional exchanges, resource sharing and building regional links. The Yushan Forum, which is an important platform for the NSP, will further help turn consensus into action plans and forge ahead with cooperative plans for mutual prosperity with partners worldwide, he said.
The event’s government sessions centered around topics including smart health care, smart transportation and resilient supply chains for semiconductors, Lai noted. The president went on to say that the government is committed to shaping Taiwan into an artificial intelligence hub on the strength of its semiconductors and by accelerating innovation and AI applications for industry, he said.
The country is also developing forward-looking fields such as quantum technology and precision medicine to create a highly competitive industry ecosystem, while also building economic models powered by innovation to help small- and medium-sized enterprises upgrade through digital transformation and net-zero transition, he added.
Taiwan will continue to engage with the world and will strive alongside democratic partners to bolster non-red supply chains and digital solidarity, Lai said, concluding that they would all respond together to the threats and challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism.
The annual Yushan Forum is a platform launched by Taiwan to foster regional dialogue, expand multifaceted cooperation opportunities and facilitate exchanges in ideas, personnel, technology and social initiatives. Over 3,600 participants from Taiwan and 28 other countries have taken part in the event since its launch in 2017.
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to reinforce Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 ASEAN member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
President Lai Ching-te gives the opening address at the 2025 Yushan Forum March 17 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
Source : March 18, 2025 Taiwan Today
