Stark Warnings at Taiwan's Yushan Forum

Dignitaries from around the world are gathering in Taipei for the annual Yushan Forum, a rare chance for Taiwan to engage in much-needed diplomacy.

Transcript

00:00This is the Yushan Forum, a meeting of global dignitaries here in Taipei hosted by Taiwan's

00:06foreign ministry. Now in its eighth year, the annual two-day meeting looks to build

00:12bridges across the Indo-Pacific, raise Taiwan's voice in the region and lessen economic reliance

00:18on China.

00:20President Lai Ching-de says this push should now include like-minded countries further

00:24afield. This year, a number of important figures from Europe attended, warning of new

00:29geopolitical uncertainties under US President Donald Trump.

00:34Since January, the relationship has become increasingly transactional. President Trump

00:46sees the world in terms of three power centres – Washington, Beijing and Moscow. We need

01:00to ask what that means for countries like Taiwan.

01:07Taiwan uses this forum to push its soft power and foster people-to-people connections, highlighting

01:13its position as a high-tech hub that can use semiconductors, artificial intelligence

01:18and quantum technology for good.

01:21Taiwan is intent on working side-by-side with other countries to face the challenges of

01:29this new era. Today's Taiwan celebrates not only the democratic achievements that are

01:37recognised by the international community, but also our strength in the semiconductor

01:44and tech industries, which enable us to play a key role in restructuring global democratic

01:52supply chains and economic order.

01:57Taiwan faces an uphill battle in engaging in important diplomacy like this. China, which

02:03claims Taiwan as part of its territory, hits out at other countries for engaging with Taiwan

02:08diplomatically. But the messages from this forum are clear – that the world order is

02:13in flux, authoritarian leaders are emboldened and like-minded countries must stick together.

02:20Klein Wang and Rick Lowatt in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.