Dear President of the Legislative Yuan, ladies and gentlemen,
I am deeply honored to be here, at the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China, giving a speech before you, democratic representatives of great countries. Although our two countries are separated by a long distance, Taiwan is no stranger in the hearts of the Polish people. We highly regard your role in world history, and we have always paid the utmost attention to your economic and political reforms.
Back in the day, I was profoundly impressed by how the Republic of China could stand in such a divided world, in a place that could most easily be torn by division and war, in a watchtower for international conflicts. During the Cold War and the ideological and political struggles that followed, Taiwan found itself in an unstable and dangerous region. We know what it’s like to be in such a situation. This causes great pain to a nation and directly affects its people. We both sympathize and admire you, because even though you were in such a predicament, you were still able to successfully develop your economy, industrial technology, science, and culture and to improve your people’s quality of life. Your success is the living proof that if people are not shackled to a doctrine, there is no limit to their development.
The era of ideological and political struggle is not over yet, but it is gradually fading away. At the end of the last century, people came to a conclusion that has helped shape a new view on life.
Nowadays, more and more people accept the idea that you cannot solve everything through military force; furthermore, due to technological advancements, thinking that you can win through superior military might is also becoming obsolete. Military operations have become increasingly expensive, potentially overshadowing any benefits f an armed conflict. The ongoing wars are proof of this. Therefore, we can only hope that in the future military action will be the last resort to solve international disputes.
For the people in the 21st century, the source of prosperity in a country is changing. The wealth of a nation is no longer measured by its geographical advantages or natural resources, but by its people—their wisdom, talents, efforts, industries, and culture. In this day and age, the rich can be poor and the poor can be rich, because the poor may have certain talents and the rich may have certain flaws. A logical conclusion is that we should seek prosperity from our own country, not from the neighboring ones. This implies that people should have the opportunity to grow and develop themselves within their nation. People should regain their inherent freedom to create and to participate in free markets. Only those who are free can truly create and produce value. This is the goal of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity”—freedom. We learned that under the control of the Communist Party, we could not have prosperity, because at its core, this doctrine foments inefficiency, restraint, and the suppression of people’s motivations and talents. We have striven to unbind people’s long-repressed abilities and to provide them with happy, meaningful and orderly jobs. Our goal is freedom. I believe that this desire for freedom was the driving force behind the changes in Central and Eastern Europe a few years ago, and this desire comes from the understanding that, on the current level of cultural development, people are the source of a nation’s strength and prosperity. This also explains why countries that once suppressed their citizens’ freedoms have now opened up. Nowadays, it is easy to observe the merging of ideas and the integration of different concepts all around the world. This was something impossible until not long ago. The yearning for freedom is the main driving force of this phenomenon. We are now coming to a deep understanding of this basic fact.
The events that took place throughout the twentieth century have greatly influenced the development of modern international relations. The new century brought strong economic support for the idea of human unity. For centuries, people only saw each other as rivals, fighting for limited natural resources. The greatest enemy of mankind was man himself. However, due to scientific and technological developments that have taken place over the past few decades, we not only have the capacity to increase supply, but now we can exceed demand. Former enemies have now become friends. People and countries no longer have to threaten the existence of others, because now everyone can work together and bring to the table their knowledge, technology, and productive capabilities, regardless of their nationality, to produce endless commodities. My conclusion is: we should turn antagonism and distrust into understanding and cooperation. It is clear that this approach is garnering increasing support on the international stage.
I don’t mean to imply that there is no evil in the modern world, but I believe that “good” will prevail. I believe that humanity is always moving forward. I believe that human beings are capable of drawing a sensible conclusion from the recent conflicts and violence. I believe that the world is moving towards peace, growth, cooperation, and unity. Poland is happy to help create such a world. Today, we have no enemies. We are an open country that is always willing to welcome new friends, such as your beautiful country. Taiwan is a great country full of hardworking, successful, and exceptional people, and we regard you as powerful, reliable and friendly partners. We hope that we can deepen our mutual understanding and expand our cooperative partnership. Thank you.
Video Link：https://aam.ly.gov.tw/P000051_03.do/1202
