Cho Jung-tai: Taiwan Stands Firm After 30 Years of Direct Presidential Elections

(CNA, Taipei, 20th, by reporter Lai Yu-chen) As Taiwan marks 30 years of direct presidential elections and the Lai administration its second anniversary in power, Premier Cho Jung-tai said today that after experiencing the missile crisis and 30 years of electing its own president, Taiwan has stood firm on its democratic path amidst storms, laying the foundation for its economy and high-tech leadership. He stated that the nation now has its best-ever economic constitution and must responsibly move forward, continuously strengthening its national power and self-defense capabilities. The Executive Yuan held an extra meeting today and passed the "Special Budget Proposal for the Central Government's FY115 Procurement Plan to Safeguard National Security and Enhance Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities," which will be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review. In a press release after the meeting, the Executive Yuan stated that Cho also spoke about the 30th anniversary of presidential elections and the cabinet's two years in office. Cho said that former President Lee Teng-hui's 1995 visit to his alma mater, Cornell University in the US, and Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996 both triggered strong dissatisfaction from the Chinese Communist Party, which began missile tests targeting Taiwan, causing a missile crisis. He noted that Taiwan's experience with the missile crisis and 30 years of presidential elections are both closely related to democratic development and national security. He stated that China does not tolerate Taiwan electing its own president, and thus, for the past 30 years, it has never ceased its incursions with military aircraft and warships, accompanied by various forms of military exercises. However, amidst the storms, Taiwan has not only stood firm on its democratic path but also established its economic foundation and high-tech leadership. Cho pointed out that the nation now possesses the best economic constitution, having the ability, resources, and qualification, and must also bear the responsibility to continue moving forward, strengthening its national power and self-defense capabilities drop by drop. On the second anniversary of the Cho cabinet's inauguration, Cho said that after 730 days of collective effort by the "Action and Innovation AI Cabinet," cabinet members should reflect on and review their past and future work, and promote more constructions and developments that benefit the country and the people, so as not to disappoint the public's support and expectations for the ruling team. (Editor: Lin Shu-yuan) 1150520