On February 18th, 2025, Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Hsiao Meiqin, met with a delegation from the American think tank, the Rand Corporation’s China Research Center. She expressed gratitude for the visitors’ attention to Taiwan and hoped to collaborate with them during this critical moment to accelerate the strengthening of societal resilience and ensure Taiwan’s continued prosperous development.
The Office of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) stated that the visiting delegation included Jude Blanchette, Director of the China Research Center at the Rand Corporation, as well as Seth Jones, Chairman of the Defense Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Daniel Byman, Director of the War, Non-Traditional Threats, and Terrorism Program. They were accompanied by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Liguo to the Presidential Office to meet with Vice President Hsiao.
Vice President Hsiao Meiqin welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their concern for Taiwan. She specifically mentioned their shared interests in regional security, people’s well-being, and efforts to effectively enhance Taiwan’s overall resilience. President Tsai Ing-wen has always attached great importance to resilience, which is why she established the “National Defense Resilience Committee” to integrate societal forces in order to strengthen Taiwan’s resilience and defense capabilities. Hsiao noted that many of the delegation’s research findings align closely with the direction the Taiwanese government is leading the people towards.
Hsiao pointed out that Taiwan is situated in a complex geopolitical environment, with the primary challenge stemming from the escalating military threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Additionally, she highlighted that Taiwan faces various gray zone intrusions and hybrid threats in society, such as the recent incident of an undersea cable rupture. Challenges from authoritarianism are not exclusive to Taiwan but are also evident in countries like those in the Baltic region.
At this critical juncture, Hsiao expressed her hope for collaboration with the American think tank delegation, who possess professional insights, to expedite the strengthening of societal resilience. The aim is to ensure Taiwan’s continued flourishing amidst increasingly severe security threats.