On top of this, we are faced with the challenge of how to maintain steady political and economic progress amid the fierce competition the election scheduled for the second half of this year will bring. With constantly increasing military and diplomatic pressure from China, how to uphold our freedom, democracy, and consensus to connect with the world is also a challenge that Taiwan will have to face in 2022.
In this new year, stable governance is our most important priority. We will uphold our sovereignty and values of freedom and democracy, defend our territorial sovereignty and national security, and work to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
We will also continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong. Interference in the recent elections for the members of its Legislative Council's upcoming term has prompted further concerns about Hong Kong's democratic development. And just a few days ago, the Hong Kong government arrested several members of the media, adding to worries about the state of human rights and freedom of speech there.
The pursuit of democracy and freedom is not a crime, and Taiwan's position in support of Hong Kong will not change. Aside from showing our concern, we will cherish our own hard-earned freedom and democracy even more deeply. We will make Taiwan even better and show the world that democratic Taiwan has the courage to step out from the shadow of authoritarian China, and that we will not bow to pressure.
Lastly, I want to talk about cross-strait relations.
With the new economic climate we are facing during this pandemic, each side of the strait has its own challenges as well as its own responsibilities for people's welfare. At the same time, both sides shoulder the responsibility to uphold peace and stability in the region together.
Over these past few years, we have repeatedly called on the other side of the strait not to deprive Hong Kong of democracy and human rights, and we strongly protest its military incursions and diplomatic pressure directed at our side. These actions by the other side are of no benefit to the preservation of regional peace and stability.
Taiwan's consistent position has been that we will neither bow to pressure nor act rashly when we have support. We want to remind the Beijing authorities that they should not misjudge the situation, and that they should stop the spread of military adventurism within their ranks.
The use of military means is absolutely not an option for resolving the differences between our two sides. Only by upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, with each side working to take care of people's livelihoods and set their minds at ease, can there be the proper space and atmosphere for our two sides to peacefully and collectively address and seek solutions to the problems we face. Only in this way can we reduce regional tensions.