East Asia Democracy Forum Discusses Political Polarization; Han Kuo-yu Urges Dialogue and Consensus

Central News Agency reporter Yang Yao-ru, Taipei, June 1. The 2026 East Asia Democracy Forum took place today. Han Kuo-yu, Chairman of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, stated that social and political polarization is intensifying, making consensus in policy-making difficult. He emphasized that democratic resilience stems from efforts to build consensus within institutions, and it is essential to continuously discuss and communicate, seeking common ground while respecting differences. The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy held the "2026 East Asia Democracy Forum" this afternoon. This year's theme is "Reshaping the Core of Democracy: Building Consensus to Counter Social Polarization." Participants included the Forum 2000 Foundation, the Asian Democracy Network (ADN), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the 5.18 Memorial Foundation. Han Kuo-yu, Legislative Yuan President and Chairman of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, stated in a pre-recorded video that in recent years, social and political polarization has intensified rapidly at all levels. Divisions and disharmony between groups have made policy consensus slow and difficult. The widespread application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology also poses unprecedented challenges to the foundation of social trust. Han mentioned that despite this, Taiwan has always adhered to its commitment to democratic values and ideals. According to reports such as Freedom House's "Freedom in the World" and the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) "Democracy Index" over the past two years, Taiwan's free democracy ranking remains in the top three in Asia. Han emphasized that this resilience comes not only from efforts to build consensus within institutions but also from the determination of all sectors of society to fight fake news and promote dialogue and understanding. This is a task that must be continuously pursued; we must keep discussing and communicating, seeking common ground while respecting differences. Liao Da-chi, CEO of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, pointed out in her speech that this year's forum is not just an academic discussion but also invites NGO experts with practical experience. The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy has always advocated and defended freedom and human rights, implemented track-two diplomacy based on Taiwan, and strengthened relations with East Asia and the world. Maiko Ichihara, Professor at the Center for Global Governance at Hitotsubashi University in Japan and Chair of the Executive Committee of the East Asia Democracy Forum, stated that we are currently facing the most difficult period since World War II, with populism rising in various countries and external forces attempting to divide and destabilize. The theme of this year's forum, "Depolarization," is more important than ever. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun, Lin Xing-meng) 1150601