Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the World Media Congress 2023 organized by the World Association of News Publishers in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. INQUIRER.net/Katherine G. Adraneda
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen voiced the nation’s unwavering resolve to stave off any potential discord in both the Taiwan Strait and East and South China Sea.
The commitments she reaffirmed on Wednesday exemplified her steadfast dedication to regional peace and stability.
“We will not seek confrontation,” she said, ensuring that her government would fully collaborate with neighbors and democratic partners for a stable region.
Tsai, however, also promised to defend Taiwan, including working diligently against disinformation campaigns which she alleged are being used to “corrode trust” in their government institutions.
At the World Media Congress 2023, Tsai discussed efforts to influence her country’s thriving democracy.
Tsai strongly rejects the claim that Taiwanese “democracy is melting,” providing a sharp reply to the false information that has been circulating. She highlighted how disinformation efforts seriously threaten Taiwan’s long-standing culture of press freedom.
But, Tsai noted, her government and civil society are working together to tackle the challenges without curtailing the people’s freedom of speech by empowering individuals to determine which information is reliable and genuine via education and media literacy workshops.
Regional conflicts
Taiwan’s dedication to protecting its democratic values and opposing foreign pressures is displayed in Tsai’s address, as China uses its economic and military might to compel Taiwan to acknowledge its sovereignty claims and isolate it diplomatically. She said that Taiwan is willing to work with other countries to counterbalance China’s influence by stressing the necessity of regional balance.
Taiwan is doing everything it can to protect its democracy and keep the peace in the area. Taiwan is one of the most successful democracies in Asia, but it is under rising geopolitical pressure from China, which claims the island as its own. But some worry that Taiwan won’t be able to withstand China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.
Overall, Tsai’s speech at the World Media Congress 2023 underlines Taiwan’s difficulties in defending its democracy against disinformation efforts and keeping the peace with its neighbors.
The World News Media Congress 2023 is being held here from June 28-30 and was organized by the World Association of News Publishers. More than 950 journalists from 58 countries attended the conference. –Background and context from abc