CALD Secretary General Attends Global Gathering of Parliamentarians in Taiwan

It was touted as the largest gathering of lawmakers to visit Taiwan.

With 49 lawmakers from 24 legislatures across five continents, the fourth Annual Summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) was indeed one of the most important international events that Taiwan hosted this year.

Held in Taipei on 30-31 July 2024, the Summit was graced by the presence of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang.  For this reason, it received significant media coverage not only in Taiwan but also across the world – with the Summit activities being reported in six continents.

“Your presence here is at a very important moment as we strive to make Taiwan much more resilient in our own self-defence but also resilient in our democracy and resilient in our society and resilient in our economy”, said Vice President Hsiao in her welcome remarks.  She also spoke of a “common and shared agenda of ensuring democracy, peace and prosperity”, a theme which was also repeated in President Lai’s keynote address.

President Lai stated: “Taiwan needs the world, just as the world needs Taiwan. Advancing democracy, peace, and prosperity is our common goal.”  He elaborated that Taiwan would take as its guide the Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes strengthened national defense; improved economic security; enhanced cooperation with other democratic countries; and stable and principled cross-strait leadership.

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) was represented in the event by its secretary general, Francis Gerald “Blue” Abaya, who is a former legislator himself.  As a guest of IPAC, he was able to witness the lightning talks on transnational repression and encryption regulation.  He also attended the lunch session with UN Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, and the presentation of the legal team of  Hong Kong media owner and political prisoner  Jimmy Lai.

Abaya also participated in the briefing on the history and legal status of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 – which recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China.  The briefing also touched on the importance of Taiwan to global and regional economies, as well as the impact of a possible blockade in the Taiwan Strait.

The CALD Secretary General also took part in the civil society brunch organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation Global Innovation Hub, which provided an opportunity for more than a dozen local civil society organizations to meet IPAC delegates.

“It was a huge honor to represent CALD in this global gathering of parliamentarians supporting the cause of Taiwan”, said Abaya. “The concrete actions adopted by the delegates to support Taiwan, such as Operation MIST (Measure the Impact of Shock in the Taiwan Strait) and 2758 Initiative demonstrate that Taiwan is not alone in its fight for the preservation of its democratic way of life. CALD stands together with IPAC in ensuring democracy, peace and prosperity in Taiwan and in the broader Asian region.”