總統2019新年談話 總統府20190101

親愛的國人同胞，以及我們現場的媒體朋友，大家早安，新年快樂。

在新的一年，我要在這裡祝全體國人同胞新年快樂，身體健康。

去年，我們共同經歷了一場選戰。在選舉裡面，一定是有輸有贏，不過，我要在這裡祝福所有當選的縣市長，在未來工作崗位上，能夠順利，能夠平安。

選舉結束了，現在就是我們的社會要重新凝聚團結的時候。我期許我們全體國人同胞，勇敢的在一起，迎向未來的挑戰。

2018年中央政府的施政，在許多方面上，其實都是為2019年打下了好的基礎。例如，從今天開始，勞工的基本薪資就要調整為兩萬三千一百元，打工族的時薪也來到一百五十元。我們連續三年都調整我們的基本工資，年輕人低薪的代名詞22K，我們也正式向它告別。

還有，到了今年五月報稅的時候，我相信，很多國人同胞都會發現，有四項扣除額提高了，月薪三萬元以下的朋友，基本上不用再繳所得稅。大家會感受到，政府真的很努力在幫大家省荷包。

除了加薪和減稅之外，今年我們更要進一步減輕民眾的負擔。過去兩年，經濟有成長，我們的稅收也都超出預期，我已經請行政院儘快拿出具體方案，讓收入較少的民眾，能夠優先分享經濟成長的紅利。

就像公司有盈餘，應該優先給員工來分享，一個國家也應該是如此。全力衝刺民生，更妥善的照顧年輕人和弱勢者，這是2019年政府施政的重點工作之一。

2019年，國際社會的變局和挑戰，將會更加嚴峻和多變。美中貿易戰，會對臺灣的總體經濟、產業發展、金融穩定帶來一定的衝擊。

從我上任以來，對於國際局勢的變化，我一直都極為重視。身為國家的領導人，我的責任就是在充滿不確定的國際環境下，為臺灣找到生存發展的空間。

2019年，我的責任將更加重大，我已經指揮國安團隊和政府各部門，展開各項的因應作為。臺灣的經濟體質深受美中兩國的牽動，所以絕對不能掉以輕心。

所幸在這兩年，政府一直在為這一刻做最好的準備。無論是「5加2產業創新計畫」帶領產業轉型，或者是「前瞻基礎建設計畫」投入公共建設來擴大內需，或是「新南向政策」的全球多元布局，我們努力調整了過去過度依賴中國的經貿戰略，這些都是為了要來因應國際劇烈的變化。

這兩年多來，很多在中國的臺商朋友都告訴我，他們殷切地期盼，想要回到臺灣來投資。賴院長所領導的行政團隊也聽到了他們的聲音，過去一年，全力地解決五缺的問題。今年，我們「歡迎臺商回臺投資行動方案」也要從今天開始實施三年，目的就是要讓臺商的返鄉，有一條平坦的道路。現在，就是我們全面歡迎臺商回臺投資的最佳時刻。

2019年國際政經局勢的挑戰，當然不能忽略兩岸關係的發展。

我承認，九合一的大選，是對執政者最嚴肅的檢驗，但是，我必須強調，這場選舉的結果，絕對不代表臺灣基層的民意想要放棄我們的主權，也絕不代表臺灣的民眾想要在臺灣主體性上做出退讓。

我們不反對兩岸正常的互動，我們更不反對兩岸之間的城市交流，不過，兩岸之間的交流要健康、要正常，不能靠模糊的政治前提，或者強迫就範的通關密語。兩岸之間真正需要的是務實地理解雙方在價值信仰、生活方式與政治制度的根本差異。

在這裡，我要呼籲中國，必須正視中華民國臺灣存在的事實；必須尊重兩千三百萬人民對自由民主的堅持；必須以和平對等的方式來處理我們之間的歧異；也必須是政府或政府所授權的公權力機構，坐下來談。這「四個必須」才是兩岸關係是否能夠朝向正面發展的最基本、也最關鍵的基礎。

在兩岸間能夠建立可長可久的關係之前，我們必須要誠實地面對我們所面臨的國家安全的威脅跟風險。尤其是中國試圖利用民主體制的開放和自由，來介入臺灣的政治和社會發展，這已經是此刻臺灣最大的挑戰。

為了守護臺灣的安全，我們會為兩岸的交流建立三道防護網。

第一道，是民生安全防護網。

在最近非洲豬瘟的防疫工作上，對岸政府一直沒有依照相關協議，將疫情誠實地、即時地通報給臺灣。一旦豬瘟傳進臺灣，不僅會重創相關產業，影響民生經濟，更重要的，會造成臺灣民眾對對岸的負面觀感。我們不樂見這樣的情況發生。

如果連疫情防治都不能真心合作，哪來的兩岸一家親？與其千方百計讓臺灣政治人物說出通關密語，不如務實地在兩岸民眾最關心的民生安全上合作。防堵疫情入境，政府絕對嚴格把關。我要再一次呼籲全體國人同胞，正視豬瘟的嚴重性，我也要再一次呼籲對岸，放下成見，放下對立，以民生安全為重。

第二道，是資訊安全的防護網。

除了國防戰力的持續提升之外，國家安全的範圍更應該擴及資訊戰。民主是可以被操弄的，這也是全世界民主國家最近意識到的問題。

在臺灣，包括來自對岸的假訊息，已經泛濫到人心浮動的程度。我已經請行政院對於假訊息氾濫的問題，提出具體對策。另外，中國相關企業所引發的資通安全爭議，已經引起國際的注意，我也要求國安單位重視並且釐清相關問題，要確保關鍵基礎設施的資通訊安全，不能有任何漏洞。

第三道，強化兩岸互動中的民主防護網。

我們是民主國家，兩岸之間的政治議題，不應該是以片面的主張來強迫我方接受；兩岸之間的政治對話也必須有臺灣人民的參與和監督。

因此，我已經請國安機關研議，對於兩岸互動中，可能影響主權的議題，強化民主監督的機制，透過法治面的作為，為臺灣建立一道堅實的民主防護網。

各位國人同胞，2019年，我們元旦升旗典禮的主軸是「勇敢自信，世界同行」。全球局勢瞬息萬變，堅持走民主的道路，和世界上理念相同的人攜手同行，就是我們臺灣最好的選擇。

幾天前，臺灣剛迎來破歷史紀錄的一千一百萬人次觀光客。這代表世界對我們的喜愛和重視。臺灣可以有自信，也應該有自信。

新的一年，就是拚民生的一年，就是護民主的一年，就是守主權的一年。提出讓人民有感的經濟政策，建立守護臺灣的三道防護網，會是2019年我每天努力的工作項目。

最後，我要再一次祝全體國人同胞新年快樂，謝謝大家。

20190101談話   

My dear fellow citizens, and friends from the media:

Good morning, and Happy New Year!

As we begin a new year, I would like to wish all my fellow citizens a Happy New Year, and the best of health.

Last year, we all experienced the election campaign.  Every election has winners, and losers, and here I would like to extend best wishes to all the city mayors and county magistrates who were elected.  I wish you all success and smooth sailing in your new posts.

Since the elections are over, it is now time for our society to come together and show solidarity again.  I hope that all our fellow citizens will bravely join together to embrace the challenges that lie ahead.

In many respects, the central government's policies in 2018 have laid a good foundation for 2019.  One example is that starting today, the minimum wage for laborers will be raised to NT$23,100, and the hourly rate for part-time workers will be raised to NT$150.  We have raised the minimum wage every year for three consecutive years, and formally said good-bye to the NT$22,000 monthly wage that came to represent low wages for young people.

In addition, when filing income taxes in May this year, I believe that many of our fellow citizens will discover that their four major deductions are higher.  And our friends with monthly salaries of NT$30,000 or less will basically be exempt from paying personal income tax.  So everyone will see and feel that the government really is working hard to keep more money in people's pockets.

In addition to increasing wages and cutting taxes, this year we will also take even greater steps to alleviate the public's financial burdens.  For the past two years, the economy has grown, and national tax revenues have exceeded expectations.  So I have asked the Executive Yuan to make concrete proposals as soon as possible, making low-income citizens a priority in enjoying the benefits of economic growth.

This is just like a profitable company, which should make it a priority to share those profits with its employees.  And a nation should do likewise.  One focal point of government policy efforts in 2019 is to make an all-out effort to enhance people's livelihoods and take better care of young people and the disadvantaged.

In 2019, the changes and challenges of international society will be more severe, and more volatile.  The US-China trade war will certainly impact Taiwan's overall economy, industrial development, and financial stability.

Since I took office, I have always placed tremendous importance on changes in the international situation.  As a national leader, my responsibility is to find space for Taiwan to survive and develop in a highly uncertain international environment.

In 2019, my responsibility will be even greater.  I have already directed our national security team and all government agencies to carry out all necessary response measures.  US-China relations will profoundly influence Taiwan's economic structure, so we absolutely cannot take this situation lightly.

Fortunately, over the past two years, the government has been preparing for this situation in the best way possible. Whether it's industrial transformation spurred by our "5+2 industrial innovation program," expanding domestic demand by supporting public infrastructure efforts under our Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, or diversifying our global footprint through the New Southbound Policy, we have been working to adjust previous economic and trade strategies that were overly dependent on China to respond to dramatic changes in the international situation.

Over the past two plus years, many Taiwanese business people in China have told me that they are eager to return and invest in Taiwan. The administrative team led by Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has taken their message to heart, and done everything they can to resolve the "five shortages" (land, electricity, water, labor, and talent) over the past year. Beginning today, an action plan to welcome Taiwanese companies abroad to invest in Taiwan will also be implemented for three years to pave the way for Taiwanese companies to return home. Now is the best time to do everything possible to welcome Taiwanese firms back to Taiwan to invest.

And of course, among the international political and economic challenges in 2019, we cannot overlook the development of cross-strait relations.

I acknowledge that the recent "9 in 1" elections were a serious test for the current government. But I must emphasize that the election results absolutely do not mean that grassroots public opinion in Taiwan favors abandoning our sovereignty, nor do they mean that the people want to make concessions regarding Taiwanese identity.

We do not oppose normal cross-strait interaction. Even more, we do not oppose cross-strait municipal exchanges. But cross-strait exchanges must be healthy and normal. They cannot depend on vague political preconditions, or forced submission to "passwords" or acceptable phrases. What the two sides of the strait really need is a pragmatic understanding of the fundamental differences in the values we espouse, our lifestyles, and our political systems.

So here, I am calling on China that it must face the reality of the existence of the Republic of China (Taiwan); it must respect the commitment of the 23 million people of Taiwan to freedom and democracy; it must handle cross-strait differences peacefully, on a basis of equality; and it must be governments or government-authorized agencies that engage in negotiations. These "four musts" are the most basic and crucial foundations that will determine whether cross-strait relations develop in a positive direction.

Before the two sides can establish a sustainable relationship, we must honestly face all threats and risks to our national security, especially China's attempts to use the openness and freedom of our democratic system to interfere in Taiwan's internal politics and social development. This has now become Taiwan's greatest challenge.

To safeguard Taiwan's security, we will set up a three-part security network for cross-strait exchanges.

The first part of that network will strengthen security on people's livelihoods.

During our recent efforts to prevent an African swine fever epidemic, China's government has never followed the relevant agreements and provided Taiwan with accurate, real-time reports about the epidemic situation. Once African swine fever spreads to Taiwan, it will seriously impact the related industries, as well as people's livelihoods and the larger economy. More importantly, it will give the Taiwan public a negative impression of China. And that is something we do not welcome.

If we can't even have sincere cooperation on epidemic prevention and treatment, how can we talk about both sides of the Taiwan Strait being one family? Instead of doing everything possible to get Taiwan political figures to say certain "passwords," it would be better to be pragmatic, and cooperate on issues that people on both sides care about most like security on people's livelihoods. Our government will be on high alert at all points of entry to prevent epidemic infections from entering Taiwan. And once again, I am appealing to all Taiwanese to face up to the seriousness of swine fever. I am also calling on China once again to set aside preconceived ideas, set aside antagonisms, and focus on what is most important—security on people's livelihoods.

The second part of that security network will enhance information security.

In addition to continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, national security should also be expanded to include information warfare. Democracy can be manipulated, and other democratic nations around the world have also recently become aware of this problem.

In Taiwan, the flood of disinformation, including from the other side of the strait, has unsettled hearts and minds. So I have already asked the Executive Yuan to submit concrete countermeasures to address the spread of disinformation. To address the information and communication security controversies surrounding Chinese companies that have caused international concern, I have also asked our national security agencies to prioritize and clarify all relevant issues to ensure the information and communication security of all critical infrastructure. We cannot allow any gaps in our information and communication security.

The third part will enhance security protecting democracy in cross-strait interactions.

Taiwan is a democratic country. We therefore should not be forced to accept unilateral positions on cross-strait political issues, and the people of Taiwan must be able to participate in and monitor cross-strait political dialogue.

I have thus directed our national security agencies to investigate and discuss this situation, and where cross-strait interactions may impact sovereignty issues, strengthen democracy monitoring mechanisms, and establish a robust security network for Taiwan to protect democracy through rule of law.

My fellow citizens: The theme for our 2019 new year's flag-raising ceremony is "Brave and Confident–One with the World." In our rapidly changing world, Taiwan's best option is to persevere on the path of democracy, and work together with like-minded people around the globe.

Just a few days ago, the number of foreign visitors to Taiwan in 2018 surpassed 11 million, setting a new record. That shows the love the world has for Taiwan, and Taiwan's importance to the world. So Taiwan can be confident, and should be.

This is a new year, a year to fight for our livelihoods, a year to protect our democracy, and a year to safeguard our sovereignty. In 2019, I will be working every day to propose economic policies that have an impact that people can really feel, and build all three parts of our security network to protect Taiwan.

Let me close by once again wishing all of my fellow citizens a Happy New Year. Thank you.