President Tsai Ing-wen delivered her annual National Day address Thursday morning. She issued an emphatic rejection of China''s "one country, two systems" arrangement for Taiwan, saying that the policy had set Hong Kong on the brink of chaos. Tsai vowed to defend the nation''s sovereignty, and she named three goals for the future of Taiwan. Tsai gave the last National Day address of her first term as president. She opened her speech with Hong Kong and cross-strait relations.Tsai Ing-wenPresidentAnd not far from Taiwan, Hong Kong is on the verge of chaos due to the failure of “one country, two systems.” Nevertheless, China is still threatening to impose its "one country, two systems model for Taiwan." If we were to accept "one country, two systems," there would no longer be room for the Republic of China''s existence. As President, standing up to protect national sovereignty is not a provocation - it is my fundamental responsibility.The crowd clapped at her mention of the failure of “one country, two systems.” Seated at the front, former president Ma Ying-jeou also broke into applause.Tsai Ing-wenPresident The overwhelming consensus among Taiwan''s 23 million people is our rejection of "one country, two systems," regardless of party affiliation or political position. No one has a patent on the Republic of China, and no one can monopolize Taiwan. The words "Republic of China (Taiwan)" are not the exclusive property of any one political party, and that is the overwhelming consensus of Taiwan society.The president named three goals for the future of Taiwan. The first was ensuring that the people continue to remain united under a free democracy to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty. The second was to continue building a stronger Taiwan and bolstering Taiwan’s economic capabilities. Lastly, Tsai called for actively engaging with the world and overcoming challenges.Tsai Igng-wenPresidentAnd though it may sometimes be tumultuous, only democracy can ensure our hard-won freedom. We must also continue to build a stronger Taiwan.The president’s address called for unity among the people of Taiwan.
