Premier Lai Ching-te on Monday attended a welcome banquet for the Overseas Community Affairs Council's (OCAC) 2018 meeting, where he extended sincere thanks and respect for members of the OCAC. Emphasizing that the government is working actively to improve domestic economic development, the premier expressed hope that OCAC members would actively invest in Taiwan, speak out for the nation abroad, and assist local industries and enterprises to expand internationally.
To the many OCAC members who travelled long miles to return to Taiwan and take part in the meeting, Premier Lai laid out a warm welcome, saying that while they make their homes abroad, their hearts remain in the homeland. He also thanked OCAC members for their long years of dedicated support, affection and assistance for Taiwan. Much of the nation's past democratic advancement, economic growth, and national development came thanks to the contributions of the overseas community, said the premier.
Among the public today, economic development is the main topic of concern, said Premier Lai, and the full resources of the government have been marshalled to promote economic growth and development on all fronts, with an eye toward building a stronger Taiwan. The premier encouraged OCAC members to actively invest in the nation, noting that they are all men and women of considerable accomplishment in their adopted homes. Should they apply their full resources to investing in Taiwan, it would provide a big boost to the nation's future economic development.
Premier Lai also expressed hope that the overseas community would speak up for Taiwan in their countries of residence, and give the people of Taiwan a voice in the international community. At the same time, the assistance of OCAC members could also open roads for local industries and enterprises to venture beyond the borders of Taiwan.