Under this year’s National Day theme of a “better Taiwan,” President Tsai Ing-wen called for a “breakthrough” in cross-strait relations, on the thirtieth anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic exchange with China. Tsai also extended an invitation to the leaders of the country’s major parties to sit down for talks over the future of constitutional reform. Having taken her place behind the podium this morning, President Tsai Ing-wen opened her 2017 National Day address by thanking Taiwan’s former democratically elected presidents Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian, and Ma Ying-jeou. Tsai even called for collaboration with Ma, one of the KMT leaders in attendance at the ceremony. Tsai Ing-wenPresidentOn the birthday of the Republic of China today, we gather together here without party divisions, having set aside our different views. This is the meaning of this national celebration. I also hope that in the course of our future efforts to promote constitutional reform that all of us can exchange views on the issue, and so I hereby formally invite the leaders of all our parties to sit down for talks. Tsai also touched on cross-strait relations in her speech.Tsai Ing-wenPresidentWe have maintained the utmost goodwill in upholding the peaceful and stable development of cross-strait relations, and I have repeated many times that our goodwill will not change, nor will our promise not to return to the old path of confrontation. But we will not give in to pressure, and this is the unwavering principle behind our approach to handling cross-strait relations. Having reiterated the “four noes” pledge not to push for Taiwan independence, Tsai called for a breakthrough in relations with China. Tsai Ing-wenPresidentThis year marks the thirtieth anniversary of cross-strait exchange, and we must treasure the hard-won results and the goodwill accumulated over the past thirty years, while seeking a breakthrough in cross-strait relations on this basis we already have. Leaders on both sides of the strait must work together and display the conciliatory political wisdom that they have accumulated over many years in resolutely yet patiently searching for a new model of cross-strait interaction.Tsai’s 22-minute address on the second Double Ten National Day of her presidential term covered topics ranging from domestic governance to cross-strait affairs, and closed with a vow to do all she can to help Taiwan become even better.
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