President Lai Ching-te attended the "52nd National Annual Conference and the 50th National Recognition of the Top Ten Outstanding Agricultural Experts" of the Taiwan Federation of Kiwanis International this afternoon (15th). He congratulated and thanked the award recipients for their long-term involvement in agriculture, continuous innovation, and accumulation of energy for the sustainable development of Taiwan's agriculture. He also stated that the government will continue to take care of farmers, promote industrial upgrading, and enhance national competitiveness, so that Taiwan's agriculture will be based in Taiwan and marketed globally. We hope that all walks of life will work together to take care of the next generation, support young people in building their dreams, and jointly protect the sustainable development of agriculture.

In his speech, the President said that he was honored to participate in the event. Kiwanis International is one of the four major international societies in the world. It has long been enthusiastic about public welfare and caring for the disadvantaged. Its members are the backbone of society. They actively invest in entrepreneurship, create jobs, and stabilize society. They have made great contributions to the country and society. On behalf of the government, we would like to express our sincere gratitude.

The president said he was also deeply proud of the Kiwanis Club. The Taiwan General Association is currently the largest district association of Kiwanis International in the world, with 17 districts, 503 branches and more than 20,000 members. The achievement is not easy. Thank you to the Taiwan International Kiwanis Association for its long-term efforts in making Taiwan shine in the world and allowing Taiwan to be seen by the world.

The President also expressed special thanks to President Feng Hui-wen, all past presidents and all members for their dedication, which not only allowed the Tongji Club to flourish in Taiwan, but also invested time, expertise and effort over a long period of time to turn the concept of caring for children and serving the society into concrete actions. Whether it is stepping forward when society is in need, or actively participating in public affairs and caring for the disadvantaged, they have fully demonstrated the spirit of selfless dedication and allowed the world to see Taiwan's profound public welfare energy, which is admirable.

The President pointed out that taking care of children and families has always been a long-term goal of Kiwanis Club, which coincides with the government's policy philosophy. The government has recently proposed a major policy called "Growth Allowance from 0 to 18 years old". In the future, children aged 0 to 18 will receive 5,000 yuan per month. If they receive it for 18 years, it will be 60,000 yuan a year, and 1.08 million yuan in 18 years. I look forward to working with the Kiwanis Club in the future to jointly promote anti-drug and anti-violence efforts and help more children realize their dreams.

Talking about national security, the president said that China's threat to Taiwan is becoming increasingly serious, but he hopes that the Chinese people will not panic because of this. As president, he will definitely strengthen national defense capabilities, promote the defense resilience of the entire society, and work with international allies to achieve peace with strength. The president emphasized that he will firmly maintain the status quo and peace across the Taiwan Strait, and hopes that the Chinese people will support and work together.

In response to the situation between the government and the opposition and Congress, the President said that the current opposition between the government and the opposition is quite serious, and this year's central government's general budget was not approved in the third reading until yesterday. As we all know, this year's budget should have been passed last year, and the country's laws also stipulated that it should have been passed before November 30 last year, but the Legislative Yuan did not vote to pass it until yesterday, which has had a considerable impact on the country and society. Especially when China threatens Taiwan, the Legislative Yuan should also become a force for stabilizing the country's progress and development, but unfortunately, this force has not been exerted. He hopes to invite everyone to unite and cooperate to jointly become an important force for social stability.

The President pointed out that Taiwan's economy continues to develop, with the economic growth rate reaching 5.6% the year before last, 8.76% last year, and this year it is estimated to be as high as 11.05%. Only when society is stable can the economy develop sustainably. As president, his responsibility is to protect national security, maintain social stability, and allow Taiwan's economy to continue to develop.

The President further pointed out that in the future, small, medium and micro enterprises will be one of the key targets of the government's care. On the second anniversary of his taking office, he proposed the establishment of a 100 billion yuan fund to assist small, medium and micro enterprises to promote digital and net-zero transformation, expand international markets, and provide financial support to enhance competitiveness.

The president said that today is not only the 52nd National Annual Conference of the International Kiwanis Association Taiwan, but also the 50th national commendation event for the top ten outstanding agricultural experts. He is very honored to have the opportunity to gather with the top ten outstanding agricultural experts. This award, known as the "Oscars of the agricultural industry", enters its 50th year this year, which is particularly meaningful.

The President mentioned that he met and communicated with the award recipients at the Presidential Palace in June this year. At that time, he was deeply impressed by everyone’s spirit of cultivating the soil and continuing to innovate. Today I would like to express my congratulations and thanks again to all the winners. It is precisely because of your long-term investment and efforts that we not only protect Taiwan's agriculture, but also accumulate more energy for the sustainable development of the industry. In the future, the government will continue to take care of farmers, promote the upgrading of the agricultural industry, and further enhance the country's competitiveness so that Taiwan's agriculture can be based in Taiwan and marketed globally.

Finally, the president hopes that everyone will work together to support Taiwan's future, from taking care of the next generation, supporting young people in building their dreams, to safeguarding the sustainable development of agriculture.

Subsequently, the President awarded the "50th National Outstanding Agricultural Experts" certificates to the winners, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the advancement of Taiwan's agricultural development.

The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of the Interior Wu Tang-an, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Chung-yi, legislator He Xinchun, Taichung City Vice Mayor Huang Guorong, President of the Taiwan Federation of Kiwanis International, Feng Hui-wen, and Kiwanis International World President Michael Mulhaul.