President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) delivered his third National Day address since taking office at a rally held in front of the Presidential Office on Saturday, October 10. In the speech, titled Taiwan’s Future: A City upon a Hill, the Salt and Light of the World, Lai stated that despite facing war and authoritarian expansion, Taiwan will uphold peace as its mission, serving as a reliable and stabilizing force in the international community. President Lai emphasized that this 115th National Day marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's direct presidential election. Thirty years ago, facing the threat of missiles, the Taiwanese public bravely went to the polls, using votes to tell the world that the future of Taiwan must be decided by its people. Lai pointed out that the past year has not been peaceful. In an era of war and rapid changes in the global order, he stated that Taiwan does not seek hegemony, nor does it pursue dominating others, because it deeply understands the cost of...