President Tsai Ing-wen is one of the 100 most influential people of 2020 according to U.S.-based Time magazine, making her second appearance on the annual list after being selected in 2016 following her election as Taiwan’s first female head of state.
 
“President Tsai Ing-wen is a signal lamp casting out China’s looming shadow, conveying to the world that Taiwan will not acquiesce to the Chinese Communist Party,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who introduced Tsai on the listing.
 
Freedom is Taiwan’s North Star, as evidenced by its ability to effectively manage COVID-19 without emulating Beijing’s drastic policies, he said.
 
According to Cruz, the self-made female leader remained steadfast in the face of cynics who said Taiwan was too small and isolated to fight against China, which has lured several of Taiwan’s allies into cutting off diplomatic ties. “She does not cower,” the senator added.
 
In a tweet on her official Twitter account, Tsai said she was honored to be included in the list. The achievement is not just for herself, but belongs to the whole populace of Taiwan, she said, adding that she will always stand up for the people’s rights.
 
Joining Tsai in the top 100 is LGBTQ+ rights advocate Chi Chia-wei, who made the Icon category for his decadeslong role in promoting marriage equality.
 
At a time when civic advocacy could lead to imprisonment in Taiwan, Chi repeatedly brought his case for equal rights to the courts, and in the process made himself a symbol of hope for the local LGBTQ+ community, said President Tsai, who wrote the introduction of Chi.
 
His persistence led to the constitutional interpretation ruling that made Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019, Tsai added.
 
“Chi brings hope to many in Taiwan and the world, lighting the way to a future where everyone can love and be loved as they deserve,” the president said in a tweet congratulating the advocate. (SFC-E)
 
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