(Central News Agency reporter Dai Yazhen, Tokyo, 10th) President Lai Qingde said in his National Day speech today that the government will pragmatically evaluate various energy options. Nihon Keizai Shimbun analyzed that with the expansion of investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced semiconductor industries, Taiwan's power demand continues to rise. In addition, with the local elections approaching at the end of November, energy policy has become a political focus. This speech is seen as the Democratic Progressive Party government showing a more flexible attitude on nuclear energy policy.
President Lai said in his National Day speech today that in the face of energy and climate challenges, we will promote the construction of diversified green energy, energy storage, energy conservation and grid resilience with the goals of stable power supply, energy security and net-zero transformation. We will also pragmatically evaluate various energy options based on scientific evidence, legal procedures and safety standards.
President Lai said, "Energy policy cannot be based on slogans, but must be based on safety, professionalism and responsibility; we will not exclude options for ideology, nor will we sacrifice the sustainability of generations for short-term interests."
Nihon Keizai Shimbun report analyzed that since the founding of the party in 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party has always regarded "non-nuclear homeland" as its basic policy. Taiwan's last nuclear power unit still in operation, Unit 2 of Nuclear Plant No. 3, was shut down in May last year due to the expiration of its operation period, and Taiwan officially entered a nuclear power zero state. Amendments to the law in the same month opened up the possibility of re-operation of nuclear power plants that have expired. The Taiwanese authorities have assessed that there is still a possibility of restarting the second and third nuclear plants. Taipower submitted the restart plan of the third nuclear power plant to the Nuclear Energy Safety Commission for review in March this year.
The report pointed out that Taiwan is expanding investment in high-power-consuming industries such as AI and advanced semiconductors, and ensuring sufficient power supply has become an important issue to support economic growth.
The report also stated that Taiwan will hold local elections on November 28, and a referendum on whether to abolish the "nuclear power to zero" policy is also expected to be held on the same day. The KMT continues to criticize the DPP's nuclear energy policy. On the eve of the election and referendum, President Lai showed a relatively open attitude towards the restart of nuclear power and was also considered to be interested in responding to the opposition parties' doubts.
In addition to energy policy, President Lai also talked about cross-strait relations in his speech. He pointed out, "China continues to use military and gray zone operations to exert pressure in an attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. In the face of authoritarian expansion, Taiwan's persistence is not only related to its own survival, but also to whether the international community still believes that force cannot override rules, and power cannot deprive the people of their right to determine the future."
President Lai also emphasized that "increasing defense investment is not to provoke, but to deter war." He also called for dialogue with China "on the basis of reciprocity and dignity," demonstrating a stance of strengthening military defense on the one hand and not closing the door to dialogue on the other.
Compared with the concept of a new air defense system proposed in the National Day speech on National Day in 2025, President Lai did not further explain the specific national defense policy this year. Nihon Keizai Shimbun analysis, considering that the leaders of the United States and China are expected to hold a summit within the year, it cannot be ruled out that this is to avoid proposing more specific defense measures to avoid irritating China.
