Taiwan's efforts to contribute to regional stability and security do not end there. Taiwan is fully committed to collaborating with regional players to prevent armed conflict in the East and South China Seas, and in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan does not seek military confrontation. It hopes for a peaceful, stable, predictable, and mutually beneficial coexistence with its neighbors. But, Taiwan will also do whatever it takes to defend its freedom and democratic way of life.
As we move toward the post-pandemic era, the New Southbound Policy will be Taiwan's pivotal regional policy for Asia. Through the New Southbound Policy, Taiwan seeks to strengthen links with regional strategic partners such as the United States, Australia, India, Japan, and ASEAN countries.
We are also grateful to like-minded countries for utilizing international mechanisms such as the Japan-US Summit, the G7 Leaders' Summit, the US-EU Summit and the Australia-France and Australia-Japan 2+2 ministerial consultations to emphasize the importance of peace and stability in the region and across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan may be small in terms of territory, but it has proved that it can have a large regional presence. Taiwan has persevered in the face of existential threats and made itself an indispensable actor in the Indo-Pacific.