President Lai attends animal conference in Taipei

2025/08/28

President Lai Ching-te said Aug. 26 that the government is committed to animal protection policies and promoting relevant work in collaboration with the private sector to continue shaping Taiwan into an animal-friendly country.
 
Lai made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 14th Asia for Animals Conference. Running until Aug. 29 in Taipei City, the event reflects on boundaries and covers discussion topics spanning animal science applications, aquatic animal welfare, animal exhibitions and performances, and the management of stray animals.
 
The president spoke of Taiwan’s dedication to animal protection, citing as progress the establishment of the Department of Animal Welfare under the Ministry of Agriculture in 2023. The DAW is tasked with implementing the World Health Organization’s One Health approach, which works to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
 
According to Lai, he adopted the cause of reducing euthanasia of stray animals during his tenure as mayor of Tainan City from 2010 to 2017. Governments at the central and local levels now cooperate with animal protection groups to reduce stray populations through a humane capture-neuter policy. The president added that the MOA proposed amendments to the regulations on animal exhibitions last year to strengthen welfare standards and inspection mechanisms.
 
The president went on to say that the government will continue to draft conservation strategies that respect individual life and the overall environment, with special attention given to protections for endemic species. Taiwan is ready and able to make more contributions in the field, he added, expressing the hope that international cooperation would be further expanded through this event.
 
First held in 2001, the conference has been convened biennially in different cities across Asia. Taiwan hosted for the first time this year and expects more than 400 participants daily to learn from 90 speakers from over 25 countries.


Source:  Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)