Tsai Gives Final Lunar New Year Speech as President

In Tsai Ing-wen's final Lunar New Year speech as Taiwan's president, she focused on democratic values.

Transcript

00:00 Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has thanked the military and other state personnel for

00:04 staying at their posts over the Lunar New Year holiday.

00:08 It's her final Lunar New Year speech as President.

00:11 Louise Wat joins us live from Taipei.

00:13 Louise, a big focus in this speech is democratic values.

00:16 Can you tell us a little more?

00:21 Tsai has been pushing a message of unity within Taiwan and also playing up Taiwan's influence

00:27 overseas.

00:28 Over the past few years, Beijing has been pushing a narrative that only it can represent

00:34 all ethnically Chinese people around the world.

00:38 Well, today Tsai is hitting back at that.

00:40 She's saying that overseas Chinese communities are actually promoting Taiwanese values of

00:45 democracy and freedom.

00:47 Dozens of Chinese-language journalists from around the world came to Taiwan to witness

00:52 its elections almost a month ago.

00:55 And Tsai is saying that through those elections, Taiwan has shown the world that it cherishes

01:02 democracy and freedom.

01:03 Now, Tsai's Lunar New Year speech is notable, of course, because it's her final one as President.

01:10 She'll be stepping down soon and will be replaced by her Vice President, Lai Ching-de.

01:16 Now Louise, what kind of legacy will Tsai leave behind?

01:21 She's been tough on China.

01:22 She's poured money into the military.

01:25 Under her administration, Taiwan's economy has powered ahead.

01:29 Taiwan has also become the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

01:34 But internationally, she'll probably be remembered more for standing up to China by emphasizing

01:41 Taiwan's sovereignty.

01:43 She's also strengthened relations with the United States and other democratic nations.

01:48 She's barred from standing for a third term, and no Taiwan president can.

01:53 But her path is one that her successor has said he will follow.

01:57 All right.

01:58 Well, thank you for that update, Louise.

02:00 That was our reporter Louise Wa joining us from Taipei.

02:03 - Okay.