President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) received the guests attending the Ketagalan Forum on Wednesday, August 5, including former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and former Canadian Minister of International Trade Ed Fast. At the meeting, Lai reaffirmed the Four Commitments and the Four Pillars of Peace action plan.

Lai noted that international dignitaries visiting Taiwan and supporting it through concrete actions not only demonstrates friendship but also gives the Taiwanese society greater confidence to uphold its values. He restated his support for the Four Commitments introduced by former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文): upholding the free and democratic constitutional system, upholding the principle that the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, upholding the country’s sovereignty against annexation, and upholding the principle that only the people of Taiwan can decide the country’s future.

In order to achieve these goals, Lai has advanced the Four Pillars of Peace action plan since taking office. That involves strengthening national security, improving economic security, strengthening solidarity with democratic nations, and maintaining stable and principled leadership in cross-Strait relations.

In his remarks, Fast said that Taiwan continues to demonstrate to the world that freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and a free and open market are key elements for the prosperous development of human society. He said Taiwan has also shown that economic vitality, technological innovation, and respect for human dignity and rights can coexist and flourish together. Fast called those admirable achievements, ones that have won the hearts of people around the world.

Fast added that the Ketagalan Forum has become important due to the fragmenting global order and the restructuring of supply chains, challenges that no nation can face alone. He said the forum is no longer merely an annual conference, but has become an important platform for examining challenges to regional peace and building understanding and trust among partners.