YOU Si-kun：The New Government would rely on the support of overseas Taiwanese entrepreneurs to allow our country to stride forward

On the morning of January 15, 2024, President YOU attended the opening ceremony of the 36th Session of the 2nd Joint Meeting of Directors and Supervisors of the "Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of North America" (TCCNA) held at the Taipei Marriott Hotel. Other distinguished guests included Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan Cheng Wen-tsan, Minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council Hsu Chia-ching, Honorary President of the "World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce" Tsai Jen-tai, Honorary President James Huang, President Steven Lee, President-elect of TCCNA Kenneth Wu, and incumbent President TCCNA Joey Chiang. Also in attendance were three national policy advisors to the President Jackson Hsin, Yee Phong Thian, and Jason Lin, along with approximately 450 representatives from overseas Taiwanese entrepreneurs, making it a grand occasion.

In his speech, President YOU started by extending his warm welcome to all distinguished guests. While the venue was set in Taiwan for this year’s joint meeting, much attention was focused on the recently held general elections. As the result was official announced, the "Lai- Hsiao" ticket emerged victorious in the presidential election. However, no political parties secured a majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan. President YOU commented that a divided government is not an unusual phenomenon in democracies worldwide and is a necessary stage for Taiwan in its democratization process. President YOU shared his experience while served during the presidency of Chen Shui-bian in 2000. In 2002, he was appointed as Premier of the Executive Yuan and went through a period of political turbulence due to the divided government at that time. He specifically quoted the newly elected President, Lai Ching-te’s statement: "A calm sea would never make beautiful waves" and expressed his hope that President Lai and his administration will continue to receive support to steer Taiwan smoothly forward.

President YOU then expressed gratitude to Taiwanese business entrepreneurs for their remarkable contributions. TCCNA was established in 1986, which coincided with the same year when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was founded. He recalled he served as the chairman of the party's founding convention at The Grand Hotel. On October 7, 1986, just ten days after the party's establishment on September 28, then-President Chiang Ching-kuo, in an exclusive interview by Mrs. Katharine Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, announced that Taiwan’s martial law would be lifted. Only then did he feel relieved about the DPP’s future. In 1987, the DPP formed the "DPP U.S. & Japan Diplomatic Delegation," which embarked on a two-week visit to the United States and Japan. The delegation received a warm welcome from overseas compatriots, which remains a heartwarming memory. President YOU emphasized that organizations such as the “Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)”, the “Taiwanese Association of America”, and Taiwanese chambers of commerce worldwide have contributed a lot to Taiwan's development.

President YOU further pointed out that on April 10, 1979, the United States passed the “Taiwan Relations Act”, which led to a downturn in Taiwan-U.S. relations. It wasn't until December 18, 2017, when President Trump issued his first National Security Strategy (NSS) report that the United States, for the first time, viewed China not as a "strategic partner" but as a "strategic competitor," marking a critical watershed in the U.S. stance towards China.

In the following year (2018), President Trump signed the “Taiwan Travel Act” on March 16 and the “Asia Reassurance Initiative Act” on December 31. Both acts formalized the past "Six Assurances." The “Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act” and the “Taiwan Assurance Act” came into effect on March 26 and December 27, 2020, respectively. On December 23, 2022, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, authorizing approximately $10 billion in military aid to Taiwan. Then, on August 29, 2023, the U.S. government, for the first time, notified Congress of the use of foreign military financing for sovereign states to provide Taiwan with "non-repayable military aid". Furthermore, the "U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade" was signed on June 1, 2023. The passage of these acts should be attributed to the continuous efforts of overseas Taiwanese entrepreneurs, which have deepened the Taiwan-U.S. relationship. In closing, on behalf of Taiwan’s congress, President You expressed gratitude once again to overseas Taiwanese entrepreneurs.

After the speech, President YOU presented the book《Breaking the Ban on Political Parties in 1986》and the book series《Democratic Taiwan, A Century of Pursuit》to President Chiang. Then he took group photos with other distinguished guests on the stage. After President You left the venue due to other scheduled engagement, Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan Cheng Wen-tsan and Minister of the Overseas Community Affairs Council Hsu Chia-ching took the stage to deliver their speeches. The opening ceremony was concluded in an hour in a relaxed and amicable vibe.