The road to democracy may be winding and is like a river taking many curves, but eventually the river will reach the ocean.

I believe no one is willing to give up taking the road of freedom, democracy, and human rights. The 23 million Taiwan people should continue to insist on walking their own path.

It has been well over half a century and I'm glad to say we have taken the right path from authoritarianism to democracy and this is a road of no return.

We have had a long wait for democracy.

I have great confidence in Taiwan's democracy. I have great confidence in the universal value and in basic human rights, and I have great confidence that referenda will eventually take root and become part of our daily lives in Taiwan.

It is not only a new era for Taiwan's democracy, it is a new era for solidarity and harmony, and a new era for peace across the Taiwan Strait.