At the Cabinet’s weekly meeting on Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen received a briefing from the Central Election Commission (CEC) on the 16th presidential and 11th legislative elections. The premier said that polls closed on January 13, 2024 and the entire process from the casting of votes to the counting of ballots proceeded peacefully and smoothly, earning a high level of acclaim both at home and abroad, and demonstrating that Taiwan has matured into a model democracy within the Asia region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu called on the global community to be aware of and prevent China’s attempts to intervene in democratic countries’ elections.

In a wide-ranging discussion with India’s CNN-News18 anchor Zakka Jacob, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu emphasized hopes for maintenance of the cross-strait status quo, stability in the Indo-Pacific region and for closer ties with India.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will broadcast the 2023-2024 Taipei 101 New Year’s Eve fireworks live to the world via international satellite starting from 23:55 on December 31, Taipei time. The satellite broadcast information has been provided to local TV stations and online media to download and play through various ROC Taiwan missions around the world. It has also been provided to international media reporters based in Taiwan for broadcast.

Premier Chen Chien-jen visited Taoyuan International Airport to inspect measures preventing African swine fever from entering Taiwan Dec. 25, underscoring the government’s dedication to safeguarding the food industry and citizens’ health.

Taiwan has attained record recognition and support in 2023 as a result of the government’s steadfast diplomacy and the hard work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and associated overseas offices to defend national dignity and ensure the rights of the people.

At the Cabinet’s weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen received a National Development Council briefing on the recent achievements and future outlook of Taiwan’s economy. The premier said the nation’s economic development has yielded outstanding results in areas including economic growth, global competitiveness, exports, investment, labor markets, private consumption, fiscal discipline and financial markets, outperforming other major economies on several economic indicators.

At the Cabinet’s weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Chen Chien-jen received a Ministry of Agriculture briefing on measures to guard against African swine fever (ASF) and protect Taiwan's pig population. The premier said preparations must be made to combat ASF during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday period when large crowds of inbound travelers may bring animal products into the country.

The 2023 Taiwan Study Program for Future Leaders from the Indo-Pacific Region wrapped up Dec. 18 in Taipei City, underscoring government commitment to develop the region’s next generation of personnel.

Taiwan welcomed its 6 millionth visitor this year Dec. 15 at Taoyuan International Airport with two weeks to spare on the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Administration’s goal for 2023.