Vice President Lai was invited to give a keynote speech on the theme "Trust in Taiwan—Glory to the Hakka" for this forum. Vice President Lai stated that the Hakka are not only an ethnicity and a culture, but more importantly, something to be proud of, an energy pushing us to forge ahead. Across different ages and territories, the Hakka have made uncountable contributions to Taiwan. With these remarks, he paid respect to the Hakka.
Vice President Lai also believes that the heroic spirit of the Hakka martyrs of old is all about the inhabitants of a land coming together out of love for their home and for their people. He expressed the hopes that going forward, the Hakka people can continue to act as a driving force in Taiwan, keeping close ties to build prosperity for the people and propel nationwide progress. Whenever issues arise among different sectors of the population, different ethnic groups should aim towards mutual respect and understanding.
HAC Minister Yiong Con-ziin expressed that to push forward Hakka-related affairs, institutions responsible for overseeing Hakka affairs in all locations were assembled together this year to share the cross-institutional implementation experience of the National Hakka Development Plan. The goal is for local government departments to join forces and accelerate the overall development of the Hakka and culture through policy-making and provision of administrative resources by the central government. This can ensure that in the near future, we all bear witness to a flourishing of Hakka culture everywhere.
The Taiwanese Hakka Association of the World boasts the most outstanding Hakka individuals around the globe as members. It is a worldwide institution with an excellent legacy and significant scale and history. Its objective is to "foster harmony and cohesion among Taiwanese people, protect Taiwanese sovereignty, and advance Taiwan's position in the world stage". Founded in the US in 1997, it has seen robust growth for 25 years, bringing together Hakka people overseas and their love for Taiwan, promoting Hakka culture, and fostering Hakka awareness. It serves as role model for all other Taiwanese ethnicities overseas and tirelessly gives a voice to Taiwan among the international community.
