TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Monday (Sept. 9) delivered a speech at Harvard University (哈佛大學), emphasizing the need to deepen democratic resilience through communication and consensus-building.
He also expressed his willingness to share more democratic stories with China to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication.
Chiang's speech, considered the highlight of his visit to the U.S., lasted about 20 minutes. Afterward, he engaged in a discussion with attending students, covering topics such as energy, legislative party competition, cross-strait relations, and why the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) struggles to attract young people.
He compared the U.S. to a melting pot and Taiwan's democracy to a spicy hotpot, stating that although it is not perfect, the more people consume it, the more addictive it becomes. He aimed to underscore the importance of democratic resilience.
In response to questions, Chiang acknowledged the threats Taiwan faces from China. However, if peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are maintained, it will benefit not only both sides of the strait and regional countries but also align with U.S. interests.
Chiang believes that the more tense and difficult cross-strait relations become, the more communication and exchanges are needed, which is why he values the Shanghai-Taipei Twin City Forum (雙城論壇) and hopes it can be held annually.