Pan Meng‑an says Taiwan is key democratic defense hub at Indo‑Pacific think‑tank tea

President’s Office Secretary‑General Pan Meng‑an attended today the two‑year anniversary tea gathering of the Indo‑Pacific Strategy Think Tank, and on behalf of President Lai Ching‑te personally conveyed congratulations and gratitude to the think tank. In his remarks, Pan emphasized that the name and core spirit of the Indo‑Pacific Strategy trace back to the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Free and Open Indo‑Pacific” concept, a forward‑looking macro vision that over the past decade has gradually become the most important foundation for maintaining regional and even global peace and stability.

Looking back at the historical context and development trajectory of the Indo‑Pacific Strategy, when the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe first put forward the free and open Indo‑Pacific idea, the international community had not yet experienced the intense geopolitical competition seen today. However, as China has expanded its military presence in the South China Sea and East China Sea, employed both diplomatic pressure and military intimidation toward Taiwan, and increasingly wielded economic coercion within global supply chains, the Indo‑Pacific region has become the frontline of the contest between the global democratic camp and authoritarian regimes. Abe’s strategic foresight not only succeeded in linking the security dialogues and concrete cooperation of like‑minded countries such as the United States, Japan, India and Australia, but also provided Taiwan with a solid foothold and strategic positioning in international geopolitics.

In this international environment, Taiwan serves as a key hub of the democratic defense line in the Indo‑Pacific, making the linkage between civil society and think‑tank expertise especially important. Since its establishment two years ago, the Indo‑Pacific Strategy Think Tank has continuously gathered domestic and foreign strategic experts, diplomatic scholars and national‑security advisers to conduct in‑depth research and policy dialogue on core issues such as regional security, economic‑trade resilience, supply‑chain restructuring and disinformation prevention. The operation of such think tanks not only deepens Taiwan’s “two‑track” diplomacy with the United States, Japan and other allied nations, but also provides the government with solid academic arguments and a public‑opinion base when advancing policies related to the Indo‑Pacific Strategy, allowing Taiwan to maintain a high degree of strategic resolve and adaptability amid a complex and shifting international landscape.

Pan’s attendance on behalf of President Lai signals the administration’s recognition of the long‑term contributions of civil‑society think tanks in the diplomatic and security fields, as well as the government’s continued commitment and resolve in its foreign‑policy and national‑security layout. Since taking office, President Lai has repeatedly reaffirmed in public that Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with like‑minded countries to jointly defend a rules‑based international order. Through Pan’s presence and remarks, the Presidential Office clearly sent a strong message domestically and abroad that Taiwan will not be absent from the democratic defense line of the Indo‑Pacific, and looks forward to a joint government‑civil partnership to confront the challenges posed by authoritarianism.

Looking ahead, the political and economic situation in the Indo‑Pacific is expected to remain full of uncertainties and challenges, from the policy direction after the United States presidential election, to potential external spillovers stemming from China’s internal political and economic difficulties, and to the impact of the Middle‑East and Ukraine conflicts on global resources—each link affecting the region’s sensitive nerves. Taiwan’s role in the Indo‑Pacific Strategy is not merely that of a protected entity but also that of an active contributor. As the think tank enters its third year, how it continues to exercise independent advisory functions, help Taiwan expand diplomatic space in the international community, and deepen substantive partnerships with global democratic allies will remain the focus of continued attention.

(Source: Central News Agency)