TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) spoke at the annual forum of the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI) think tank in Taipei on Monday (May 29).

In the midst of numerous risks to the global supply chain and potential threats to the region, Chen emphasized that the country has taken a pro-active role to ensure that Taiwan's society and economy remain resilient in the face of future challenges. “Be prepared for danger in times of peace,” is a motto that Taiwanese have always lived by, said Chen.

With reference to the country's pandemic response and economic resilience, Chen said he hopes that Taiwan’s experiences and successes can serve as a reference for other countries. Despite not being a member of the U.N., Chen said Taiwan “consistently fulfills its responsibilities as a member of the global village and has actively promoted the transition to net-zero emissions to build environmental resilience.”

In addition to the COVID pandemic, other current global challenges such as the U.S.-China trade conflict, the Ukraine war, and climate change, all illustrate the vulnerability and extreme risks that global supply chains face. Moreover, “No country has in its power the ability to confront such challenges alone,” said Chen.

“We must work with like-minded countries to cultivate effective responses to cope with them,” said Chen. He said that his goal as a leader is to bolster Taiwan’s resilience and innovation capability to secure its place in the global supply chain, while also working to optimize and reform its economy, society, and environment.

Given Taipei’s current geopolitical situation, Chen emphasized that, “Taiwan must attend to strengthening its national security and upholding regional stability and peace.”

The CAPRI organization, claimed to be the first international think tank established in Taiwan, was founded in 2022 with the aim of promoting innovation, sustainability, as well as cooperation and consensus among countries in the Asia-Pacific.

The theme of CAPRI’s inaugural forum was “A Resilient Phoenix: Rising from the Pandemic,” which drew on experts in the fields of health, technology, and public policy to discuss the state of the Asia-Pacific and current challenges in the post-pandemic era.

The chair of CAPRI, Syaru Shirley Lin (林夏如), noted in her introduction that Premier Chen has a background in science and community health, and that this greatly informed his career thinking as a political leader and policymaker. Such a resume made Chen an ideal speaker for an event that emphasizes the importance of dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors of society.

During his remarks, Chen touted the many forward-thinking and innovative policies introduced by the Tsai administration since 2016.

Chen mentioned Taiwan’s push toward renewable energy, improvements in healthcare infrastructure, policies for talent cultivation and retention; support for small and medium enterprises and key national industries; as well as the nation’s effort to shore up stronger alliances and closer relations with countries in the region via the New Southbound Policy.

The government aims to attract investment and talent to Taiwan, while also promoting international integration and trade agreements with like-minded partners all over the world, who share values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, said Chen.

To achieve a stable and sustainable economic future for the region in the wake of an unprecedented crisis like the COVID pandemic, countries should pursue "necessary structural reforms such as digital transformation and green transition, to facilitate a strong post-pandemic recovery," said Chen. "Key strategies should revolve around promoting resource reallocation, building resiliency, and ensuring a just transition....toward a better and more sustainable future," said Chen

Premier Chen’s full address at the CAPRI forum can be viewed below.