Former President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at California State University at Stanford University. Photo provided by Tsai Ing-wen’s office
／ Staff writer, with CNA, SAN FRANCISCO
Deepening international cooperation with Taiwan will not only enhance its security but also enhance the stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the resilience of other democracies, former President Tsai Ing-wen (Tsai Ing-wen) said on Wednesday.
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Technology and economic resilience are increasingly linked to national security, Tsai Ing-wen said during a keynote address at the Stanford Conference on Technology and National Security, according to a statement from her office.
The conference is hosted by Stanford DEFCON, a student network affiliated with the Stanford DEFCON Center for National Security Innovation, located at Stanford University.
Maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region, where military power, technology and economic security converge, is one of the major challenges facing the world, the former president said in a speech titled "Building Security Together: Taiwan's Role in Global Stability."
Chinese military aircraft and ships, as well as Coast Guard vessels, regularly operate around Taiwan, and cyberattacks, cognitive warfare, information manipulation and economic coercion have become an almost daily occurrence, she said.
Under continued pressure, Taiwan must do more than prepare for a major military conflict while strengthening its defense and maintaining its freedoms, Tsai Ing-wen said.
"The Taiwan Strait is one of the world's most important trade and energy routes, and Taiwan is deeply integrated into global technology and manufacturing networks," she said. "Severe disruptions will ripple throughout the Indo-Pacific region and beyond."
International reports often portray Taiwan as a security challenge requiring support from other countries, but "this is only part of the picture," she said.
Taiwan is one of the few democracies that has been able to add manufacturing capabilities rather than just consumption amid the challenge, she said, citing the island's semiconductor industry's role in global technology supply chains as evidence.
She pointed out that although the United States accounts for about three-quarters of the world's artificial intelligence (AI) computing power, Taiwanese companies manufacture almost all the advanced chips used in the system and about 90% of the AI servers built around the system.
"Therefore, the AI economy is highly dependent on what Taiwan builds, and our contribution goes far beyond the semiconductor field," she said.
Meanwhile, in the satellite industry, Taiwanese companies are major manufacturers of radio frequency chips and circuit boards used in communications and satellite systems, she said.
These capabilities are increasingly relevant to security as the lines between civilian and defense technology become increasingly blurred, Tsai added.
Taiwan is located at the center of the first island chain, and its combination of democratic system, scientific and technological capabilities and industrial strength gives it a role that is difficult to replace, she said.
"A secure and resilient Taiwan will help create a more stable Indo-Pacific region, while its technological and industrial capabilities strengthen trustworthy supply chains and reduce vulnerabilities well beyond the region," Tsai Ing-wen said.
"Therefore, deepening cooperation with Taiwan will not only enhance Taiwan's own security, but also enhance the stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the resilience of broader democracies," she added.
After the speech, Tsai Ing-wen participated in a fireside chat hosted by Gordon King, co-chairman of Stanford DEFCON, and participated by several Taiwanese students studying in the United States.
Jiaqi Zhang, an MBA student, said Tsai Ing-wen’s discussion of Taiwan’s role in geopolitics and technology echoed related discussions she has seen increasingly frequently in her courses.
Zhang Jiaqi said she hopes to use her experience in Taiwan and the United States to help more people understand her motherland.
Another student, Lin Xinyu, said Tsai Ing-wen's discussion of Taiwan's key role in the advanced chip supply chain resonated with her, especially the fact that Taiwan is an integral link in defense-related supply chains.
Tsai Ing-wen arrived in San Francisco on Monday for a week-long visit, her first visit to the United States since completing two four-year terms in May 2024.
News source: TAIPEI TIMES
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