Lai Ching-te: Political parties can compete, but Taiwan, where we are based, should not be divided because of this

There are 49 days left until the end of the year for the nine-in-one election. President Lai Ching-te made a special appeal in his National Day speech today (10th). It is a common responsibility to select talents and talents and not to be threatened or induced. Political parties can compete and have different opinions, "but the Taiwan we are based on should not be divided because of this."

Today is National Day. Lai said that at this moment, no matter whether you are in Taiwan or in different corners of the world; no matter you are from different generations, different professions, or hold different political stances, we are all based on the same Taiwan; we also share the responsibility to make the country safer, society more stable, people's lives better, and let the next generation be full of hope for the future.

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Lai Qingde said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s direct presidential election. Thirty years ago, in the face of missile threats, the Taiwanese people still bravely walked into the voting booths, fulfilling the Taiwanese people's century-old pursuit of "being the masters of the country" and using their votes to tell the world: The masters of this country are the people; Taiwan's future must be decided by the Taiwanese people themselves.

Lai Qingde recalled that over the past 30 years, we have gone through democratic transformation, experienced changes in political parties, and faced many challenges. Today we are even more convinced that liberal democracy and economic development will not run counter to each other. The more Taiwan embraces democracy and opens up to the world, the more it will create prosperity and the more capable it will be of contributing to the world. The world has not been peaceful in the past year. War and authoritarianism continue to expand, and the global economy faces multiple challenges from tariffs, energy and red supply chains. However, Taiwan has not retreated. Instead, it has stood firm amid the changes, demonstrating its proud resilience.

In addition, Lai Ching-te said that in the near future, we will usher in the nine-in-one local elections. It is a common responsibility to select talents and talents without threats or inducements. Political parties can compete and opinions can be different, but Taiwan should not be divided because of this. "The city on the hill shines not because there are no differences, but because even if we have different opinions, we still respect each other, believe in the system, and are willing to protect the country together."

Lai Qingde pointed out that the power of the president comes from the trust of the people; the responsibility of the president is to gather strength and lead the country forward. He will build a city on a hill with pragmatic governance; use firm democracy and defense power to become the salt of peace; use innovation, equality and kindness to become the light that warms the world. He calls on the people to unite to lay a solid foundation and a stronger competitive advantage for Taiwan in the next 30 years, so that the next generation can stand more firmly and go further.