TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim addressed the myriad of challenges facing the world today during the "2024 Global SDGs Summit," held at the Shangri-La Far Eastern Plaza Hotel on March 28 (Thursday).
With geopolitical unrest contributing to inflation and economic inequality, alongside domestic issues like aging populations, youth outmigration, and urban-rural disparities, Taiwan finds itself at a crossroads of global and local crises.
Embracing Sustainable Development
Hsiao highlighted Taiwan's unique position and attractions, emphasizing the importance of local sustainability and international integration.
"While thinking about local sustainability and international integration, we began to consider what Taiwan is all about. What makes us unique? What are our attractions?" she queried.
Her speech underscored the urgency of addressing these challenges through strengthened cross-industry cooperations and innovations, starting at the local level to elevate Taiwan's global connections.
A Unified Approach to Challenges
The Vice President-elect expressed optimism about embracing new opportunities and finding solutions to improve Taiwan's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"We can embrace these new opportunities together and look into new solutions to improve our SDGs in the future," Hsiao stated.
Her call to action highlighted a collective effort to tackle the pressing issues of economic inequality, population dynamics, and uneven development that have long plagued the island.
The forum served as a crucial platform for discussing integrating local initiatives with global sustainability goals.
By focusing on cooperation and innovation, Hsiao's vision for Taiwan involves not just navigating the current landscape of challenges but thriving within it through strategic partnerships and forward-thinking policies.
