 all to the 2019 IGL and Korea Simulation. As we heard Robert Ross say yesterday, China is a rising power and has already arrived to the world stage. For anyone who has paid attention to international news over the past decade, this stance comes as no surprise. Under Xi Jinping, China has become more aggressive both domestically and internationally. From their treatment of Uyghurs and Tibetan Buddhists within their borders to their building of artificial islands in the South China Sea and wolf warrior tactics and diplomacy across the globe, China's rise has not been quiet. As we've all learned in our preparations for this simulation, China's interests and strategies vary greatly. As part of the committee tasks with creating this year's simulation, we tried our best to recreate this dynamism through a selection of committee topics as well as the nations you are each representing. Each of your nations have a vested interest in what China is doing and your interest may not always align with those of China's or even each other's. Complicating things further is that your allies on one committee may not agree with your stance in another. This will pose challenges for you to navigate and we hope that you'll embrace them. After reading your briefing papers, I believe each of you are up to the task. This weekend will not be easy, but I hope it will be rewarding and that you will walk away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of the challenges facing China and their rise. Before I turn it over to United Nations Representative Alec Schner to begin today's discussions, we'd like to acknowledge all the efforts of the participating teachers to continue to provide more than straight academics for their students. In particular this year, we want to recognize one of our long-time teachers who is retiring this year. Monica Markovits from Columbia Prep in New York has been with Inquiry since we first expanded beyond Boston in 1994. 27 years later, countless complex issues and two Inquiry trios to China and Japan, we want to thank her for all of her hard work on behalf of her students and begin such a strong support or in being such a strong supporter of inquiry. Thank you Ms. Markovits and thank you to all of the teachers. Alex. Thank you very much, Ben. Esteemed delegates and illustrious guests, on behalf of the United Nations, it is my honor to welcome you to this year's conference. The Sleeping Giant has awoken, China as a regional and global influence. The rapid rise of China as a major political, economic, military and diplomatic power is one of the most significant developments in world affairs. As a global actor, China impacts every region, from Asia to North America, from Africa to Europe, from Latin America to the Middle East. Its influence is felt in every issue area from climate change to global health, from digital technology to the global economy, from cybersecurity to trade, as well as on global norms and institutions. Over the next two days, delegates will discuss and debate and then propose recommendations and solutions with regards to some of the most important and contentious topics relating to China and its position on the global stage. These issues include the South China Sea, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, human rights, development, trade and technology and climate change, global health and international resilience. As the secretary general of the convening body, myself and the United Nations as a whole take great pleasure in welcoming you to what shall be a weekend of stimulating, intellectual and fruitful debate. We look forward to substantive dialogue and hope that meaningful outcomes can be generated as a result. Additionally, we would like to thank the delegates representing China for agreeing to take part in these talks and hope that through illuminating conversations with delegates representing actors from all around the globe, we can find collaborative ways to move forward in peace. We thank you all for your participation as we at the United Nations provide a platform for the creation of shared solutions in our fight to promote peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet. And with that, I thank you all and I'll now turn it over to my colleague Luke. Thank you so much, Alex, for that wonderful speech. It is now my pleasure to welcome delegations in giving their opening statements. So if the delegate of Taiwan would please give their opening statement first. Hello, everyone. First, the delegates from Taiwan would like to thank the delegates from our fellow countries who are here today to engage in meaningful and productive discussions surrounding issues of security in Asia. As a delegation from Taiwan, we recognize the ever-present issue of security in our home of Asia. The 21st century has seen a shift of power in Asia, bringing with it various issues surrounding the future of our continent. It is Taiwan's goal to ensure that the future of Asia is not one of stagnation of progress. Since our democratization in the late 20th century, our island has become a beacon of democracy in the region, as well as a prime example of the benefits of a market economy, which has fostered economic growth in recent years. Our technology sector has boomed, allowing us to be at the forefront of semiconductor production in the world. We became the first state in Asia to legalize gay marriage, adding to our growth as a center of progressive ideas in the area. We are proud of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic through our advanced universal healthcare system. Throughout the years, Taiwan has worked hard to preserve democracy and equality. We believe this international conference is a valuable opportunity to share our opinions and discuss our ideas for the future of security in Asia. We hope to discuss the importance of the sovereignty of our state, our booming technology market, and our national security as a small island. We hope that our fellow delegates in this symposium will be willing to recognize the importance of our democratic state and the need to protect ourselves from growing powers in the region. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that we must fortify our island against future attacks for powerful governments in our region and are eager to make connections with various countries in this meeting who may be able to aid us. We seek to reaffirm our place in the international community through acceptance into various trade organizations and strengthen the security of our island. We look forward to the coming days when we can work together with our fellow delegates to curtail nationalism and ensure a safer and more democratic Asia. We can no longer allow unchecked power to grow without restraints. We must work now to ensure democracy perseveres. We know that the conversations we will have in the coming days will not be easy. They will require patience, empathy, and a deep resolve for equality. Nevertheless, we are hopeful that the people here today will work together to make meaningful, long-lasting solutions. Thank you. Thank you, delegates. May the delegation of Japan please proceed with their opening remarks. Thank you. Fellow delegations, we would like to send Tuft University and the EPIC program from bringing us together to discuss this very significant issue of China has a regional and global influence. We, the Japanese delegation, would like to acknowledge the massive increase in hate crimes impacting people in our Asian community this past year. We stand firmly with our Asian communities across the world, understanding the nuances of the particular forms of racial violence at them. We also acknowledge the internal complexities of this violence. We thus call for great solidarity among us with the understanding that a threat to any of us, even internally, is a threat to all of us. It is the challenge of the pandemic we have work to do. We must be sensitive to the cultural factors that usually get lost in the conversation. We, the Japanese delegation, therefore are committed to show up actively and loudly. We will love to continue to collaborate with you in order to sprue courageous conversation among our community within your organization and through our collaborative production on how to show up for our communities. This public declaration of standing in solidarity with our Asian community is the essential first step towards this growth. And now I will pass it to my fellow delegation member, Carla. Thank you, Dashley. The nation of Japan would like to address the following issue in respected committees. The Committee on the South China Sea is seeking to debunk the actions from China by participating in a plan that outlines who has rightful claims to dispute territories, I'm sorry, excuse me, to distribute territories in the South China Sea, along with a way to peacefully resolve future disputes. The Committee on the Korean Peninsula is seeking to contribute to the denuclearization of North Korea along with a set of best practices that would help to guide trade and humanitarian aid with both North and South Korea. The Committee on Taiwan is seeking to work towards a one-country, two-government system for China and Taiwan. In this way, Japan could train and support both governments without any misinterpretation. The Committee on Climate Change, Health and Global Resilience is seeking to maintain and spread awareness in our method to diminish the amount of fossil fuel used and confirmed cases for COVID-19 in a consistent, harmless, and effective way. The Committee on Trade and Technology is seeking to maintain a relationship with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership for facilitating technology transfers between countries, ensuring security, and fair practices. The Committee on Development is seeking to ensure that the Belt and Road Initiative and other projects undertaken by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund and Green and meeting environmental and transmission goals. The Committee on Human Rights is seeking to cooperate on a plan to address Hong Kong and provide refuge for those fleeing persecution in and around the area of Asian. Once again, we thank U Tufts University and we look forward to hearing what other delegations have prepared in hopes of engaging in conversation that are rooted in love and understanding that moves us towards a better world for all. Thank you delegates for your enlightening speech. Will the South Korean delegation please proceed with their opening remarks? Hi, we're South Korea, an East Asian country located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. Since the Korean War, the Korean Peninsula has been divided between North and South Korea along the 38th parallel. This tension has cost strain in our foreign relations policy and access to resources, and this divide represents both a divide between two nations but also a contrast in ideology, policy, social structure, allies, and goals. We hold a vested interest in maintaining American economic and other initiatives of the United States, one of our most important allies. While navigating relations, we note the complex geopolitical structure of Asia, especially in the 21st century, and thus tread lightly in terms of diplomacy and voicing opinions on certain topics. Our overall goal is to heal the wounds of the past, with knowledge that China, like the United States and ourselves, wishes to avoid conflict, will attempt to achieve economic, foreign, and environmental objectives through diplomacy and negotiation. We, along with North Korea, believe that we both maintain the right to govern the entire Korean Peninsula, and this is an issue. Although the tensions between us and North Korea have been consistent, there have been multiple strides at reconciliation between us and North Korea, but this progress has been slowed by frequent North Korean missile tests beginning in 1993. Interestingly, these tests have also frustrated China, who realized the potential threat of having an increasingly militarized neighbor. In June of 1950, North Korea invaded our nation, initiating a three-year conflict for control of the peninsula. The civil war brought up UN veto rights, and in many ways was representative of a proxy war between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Chinese government, too, sent millions of troops to, sorry about that. The Chinese government, too, sent millions of troops to fight on the side of North Koreans, recognizing the importance of a communist ally in East Asia. And this alignment between North Korea and China represents an important aspect of this conference. After these three deadly and destructive years of fighting, the war ended with no clear winner, and instead, the 30th parallel was agreed upon. Interestingly, because we never signed the 1953 armistice, we're still tactically at war with North Korea, and this continued military tension has caused us to allocate almost 15% of government spending to our military and to maintain this required construction for the South Korean men. Despite this rocky system of government in post-war South Korea, we've managed to increase our economy and infrastructure significantly. Our economy is increasingly industrialized, known for electronics and manufactured goods. And despite China's AIDS North Korea during the Korean War, allied democratic power in East Asia, China is our largest trading partner, and we are trying to force the fourth largest. Thus, the division of allies isn't so clear-cut. As much as we stand with the United States who are, they are involved economically with China in a way that prevents complete or blind support of American agenda. And this increasing opposition between the United States and China has put pressure on us as South Korea to navigate between China, our greatest economic partner, and the United States to provide some security. Within the seminar, we will make our most important goals clear. With regard to the South China Sea, we're in difficult position. The ROK relies heavily on the region for trade and energy resources. However, we oppose Chinese militarization of the South China Sea, which threatens our monetary energy flows. We're larger than that with the United States, but we also need China's support. And this is a clear trend that we don't want to upset either side. Similarly, we've grown trade relationship with China, which has now become our top trading partner. And we also have to balance our trade relationships with the China United States. And we have taken a stance on climate change. And especially because of COVID-19, we have reduced our carbon footprint and our current problem is currently air pollution. But because of Asia's diverse range of climate policies, it's difficult for us to work well together with other countries. And that's something that we hope to solely implement, which is a climate structure with climate laws in order to reduce emissions. And we believe that unification of the Korean Peninsula is the only way to guarantee the safety of our people. And we want to take the lead in rewriting the peninsula and claiming the sole authority of the region. However, we do not want to upset China, who is a North Korean ally and who has strong ties to North Korea. Our relationship with Taiwan is not easy to find. Despite lack of official recognition, we're heavily tied to Taiwan non-diplomatically. And therefore we rely on our economic assessment security. On every issue, South Korea is in a tough spot. We tread lightly between China, our greatest economic partner, and the United States who ensures our security and supports our military and ideals. And we look forward to working towards conflict resolution within this conference. Thank you. Thank you, Delegate of South Korea for your speech. Will the Delegate of the United States of America please proceed with their opening remarks? Hello, we are the United States of America, a nation in North America divided into 50 states and inhabited by approximately 328 million people. We consider ourselves a democratic powerhouse and economic powerhouse, accounting for approximately a quarter of the global GDP. We pride ourselves on self-reliance, equality and freedom. The US wants to stay neutral in China and Taiwan's dispute, supporting an economic and social relationship in both countries. The US does not condone Taiwanese independence nor does it support a war between the two countries. We would like China to see the legitimacy of the United Nations on the law of the sea agreement and see China restrict their territory to their respective exclusive economic zone. We plan to cooperate with China on the issues of climate change and global health and want to work on improving human rights for Chinese citizens by mitigating the issues of the Uyghur genocide, privacy and the Hong Kong protests. Finally, we want to develop new supply chains in Mexico and parts of the Southwestern and Western United States to lessen but not halt our reliance on Chinese manufacturing. We look forward to discussing a multitude of topics with you all this weekend and hope to reach satisfying conclusions. Thank you. Thank you delegates. Well, the delegation of the European Union and the United Kingdom, please proceed with their opening remarks. Good afternoon. We are proud to be here today as the joint delegation of the European Union and the United Kingdom. Thank you so much Tufts University leadership and global challenges commission for hosting this event. We know that it is essential to be upholding diplomatic relations and discussions, especially during these trying times. We are so excited to be collaborating with other countries in order to enact policies which are mutually beneficial for all. As China has rapidly developed to become a major global power, boasting its large and growing economy and presence in politics and international diplomacy, we have found it necessary to gather here today to reaffirm individual goals that we may work together to ensure future progress in world affairs. As the joint delegation from the European Union and the United Kingdom, we would like to bring our viewpoint as a developed democracy to the table. While the United Kingdom is no longer a part of the European Union, our beliefs and values are similar enough that only one delegation is necessary to represent us both. In light of the rising geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula, we wish to promote free trade in all nations, conduct peaceful negotiations and prevent escalations in current military presence in these regions. In addition, we wish to strengthen our relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other assumed delegations at this conference. We seek to advocate and offer support in fighting climate change and demonstrating the critical condition of our global environmental state. Moreover, as we have seen challenges which have emerged this past year due to the coronavirus, we find that it is necessary to emphasize following protocol of World Health Authorities and keeping open communication with them. Finally, we seek to hold discussions affirming the importance of human rights of all global citizens in our resolutions. At this convention, we hope to share the importance of democratic values with other participating nations. We are proud to represent a group of countries that takes human rights as well as civil liberties extremely seriously and will represent that view with the utmost vigor during this conference. This weekend, we look forward to holding productive discussions and we are confident that by working together, we can strengthen our global relations and create resolutions and policies to benefit all. Thank you. Thank you, delegates, for your wonderful opening remarks. May the delegation of Vietnam please proceed with their opening remarks. Since the reunification of Vietnam after the American War, we have become a robust independent nation with a rapidly growing economy. Our economy and society have flourished since the implementation of the doi mòi or open door reforms, which aim to establish a socialist oriented market economy. These policies encourage privately owned businesses to build a private sector and overturn collective farming practices. Our modern globalized economy is a direct result of the doi mòi policies and the government's focus on exports for economic growth. Reforms have also led us to dominate trade in Southeast Asia, but with an increasing dependency on foreign markets and investment, which has made it difficult for us to build a self-reliant economy, formulate and express our own opinions in the region and protect our resources and land, specifically in the South China Sea or the East Sea. China's aggressive and expansionist actions have led us to conflict and tension in the region, disrupting trade and illegally taking our territory. Along with these issues, we face the certainty of economic and physical destruction by climate change and the possibility of nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula. Overall, we ask for peaceful long-term solutions to all these issues in compliance with international law while respecting regional nations' rights and interests. During this summit, Vietnam would like to address the following. We stress the importance of maintaining peace, stability and security in the East Sea to protect the rights and interests of nations for the 1982 Union Close and International Law. These goals should be the international community's shared interests and the Southeast Asian states must show their commitment to the development of harmonious the relationships between countries and cooperation in the East Sea and the region. We support peaceful communication between North Korea and South Korea, but understand that peaceful reunification is improbable as the two countries are too different. We wish that party's concern could exercise restraint for the sake of peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and in the region. We view Taiwan as a province of China rather than an independent country. We support Taiwan's exclusion from the UN and the WHO. However, we will continue trading with Taiwan. Additionally, the rise in Chinese nationalism and growing tensions between China and Taiwan are cause for concern as the US has already indicated support for Taiwan which could lead to a multilateral war. We have made great progress in creating effective environmental policies and are hoping to use both adaptation and mitigation methods to build on those foundational ideas. Additionally, we hope to develop our economy sustainably through these environmental laws and work alongside other nations in projects that ensure a safer future for younger generations. We have managed to contain the COVID-19 virus within the nation through effective lockdowns, educational campaigns, and social distancing guidelines. As vaccine distribution begins, we ask the international community to allow developing nations to buy these necessities to protect our populations from the virus and its strains. We are committed to trade liberalization and entering trade deals with many countries in order to continue expanding export markets, increasing foreign direct investment and improving the business environment and competitiveness of the economy to help boost Vietnam's GDP. We believe trade deals are key to strengthening relationships with many countries and international organizations but we also remain firm on its goal of building an independent and self-reliant economy. Over the past 30 years, we have undergone immense economic development growing into a lower middle income country with one of the fastest growing GDPs in the region but it is critical that we strengthen our profit-producing assets and diversify our economic and diplomatic partners so that we can maintain our economic growth and safeguard our sovereignty. The protection of human rights and the freedom of all our people, especially freedom of religion is important to us. Human rights are the objective of our entire country. Thank you. Thank you so much, Delegate, for your remarks. The Delegation of the Philippines is now welcome to present their opening remarks. Hi, delegates. The Delegate of the Philippines is delighted to be here at this conference, mainly because Philippines, as you know, has gained an important place in the world and in regards to China specifically. Philippines has made incredible strides in the fields of energy development, energy exploration and fishing and we believe that this conference is the ideal position to sort out our differences with China and the rest of the region and understand its strategic competition. We value the United States' role in helping us enhance our security, but Philippines recognizes a need to pivot very locally, understand the need and resources of our neighboring countries and sketch a path forward. We look forward to speaking with all of you. Thank you. Thank you, Delegate. And just as a friendly reminder, the UN would like to remind all participants to mute their microphones if they are not currently speaking. Thank you all. Next, the Russian delegation is welcome to present their opening remarks. Hello, everyone. Thank you all for attending this conference. We are delighted to be presenting this conference. As you all may know, Russia is one of the strongest countries in the world because of its military power. This is due to the influence of the United States, the performance in the world war two, to stop the world. Since then, countries around the world were inspired to improve and build a military. An example of this is China. Recently, China has been showing significant economic military progress. There are great concerns that this can potentially be a threat to the regional security of Asia. The Russian Federation believes in building alliances with other countries where it's from breaking up. We suggest China and other countries do the same and build prosperity among those alliances instead of conflict. Along with the regional security issue, here are the most important issues we'd like to discuss among this meeting. Number one, as temperatures continue to rise, people close to the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases should recognize climate change and take action. Number two, based on the current nuclear weapon situation in North Korea, China would be the best option to work on a peaceful settlement with North Korea. Number three, while our initiatives continue to help the countries that are trying to develop modernized. Thank you all for listening. Russia's time to be here at this prestigious event. Mr. Chae, it's a deal. Thank you so much, Delegate. May the North Korean delegation please begin their opening remarks. As the representative of North Korea, I would like to thank all of the committee members here today. We hope we are able to best create a solution to the pressing issues straining us today. We understand that many countries wish for us to denuclearize our country. We hope that you may, hope that you can see the reason for our missiles and understand that it's unfair to take these away from us. We wish to maintain our current plans and agreements. For the most part, we will not be accepting any new trade agreements with countries other than China. As a rising power, we believe that China should take the leadership role in solving many of these issues. Many of the issues we will talk about today and tomorrow. We hope to maintain peace, stability, and security in our trade agreements with society as we rely quite heavily on their support. We plan on taking a sort of background role in the simulation and stick to much of China's plans. This meeting, we do not believe Taiwan should look to become more independent and should instead reunite with China. In addition, we support the nine dashed line and believe many of the much of the South China Sea and islands of the South China Sea belong to China. Thank you. Thank you, Delegate. And last, but certainly certainly not least, will the Chinese delegation please proceed with their opening remarks? Thank you. Less than 200 years ago, China was the most prosperous empire on the world stage, having a flourishing economy, a rich culture, and a history that extended deep into the past. However, the stable status of the Middle Kingdom was shaken due to subjection by Western powers. The century of humiliation exposed us in our weakest form and the once unified nation had been carved up into European spheres of influence. However, the century of humiliation was not permanent. Mao Zedong reshaped our society, launching us on a path of modernization and development. Deng Xiaoping continued our formation, opening up China to the rest of the world. Our rise is not complete, however. Today we strive to return to our glorious status. Under President Xi Jinping, you're continuing to grow into the number one world power. You're not willing to merely join the existing order that was decided entirely without our influence. Instead, we are reshaping the international system to better fit our national interests and views. The Chinese dream ties together the nation's dream and the individual's dream into one. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill our goals in the near future, our national rejuvenation will be fully achieved. As our leader, President Xi says, realizing the nation's great renewal is the greatest dream in the modern history of the country. In recent years, tensions between us and the United States have been escalating quickly. China and the United States have seen a tremendous growth in trade since we joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. However, in 2012, we exceeded the United States as the largest trading nation in the world and the United States became our largest export market. Our major ascendancy on the world stage has severely threatened the United States and their standing. Other attempts to rise in standing have been thwarted by US opinion. Economically, we have expanded our influence far into Southeast Asia and the Pacific, working hand-in-hand with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to create a free trade zone for the member states. The COVID-19 outbreak that originated in Wuhan reverberated around the world and the blame put on us united anti-China sentiment around the globe. Our full potential will continue to be suppressed as long as United States and neighboring Asian countries align to prevent our growth. However, our development will not be hindered forever. Over the next 24 hours, we hope to make our goals clear. Territorial integrity is one of our core interests. Our government will never allow any organization or any political party to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China at any time or in any form. The party has the determination and the ability to safeguard the security of Chinese sovereignty and unity in all cases, including those in Taiwan and Hong Kong. This also stands for our maritime interests. We are absolutely firm in our resolve to defend our maritime and territorial integrity and take back what is historically ours. Trade is at the forefront of our interests in the 21st century. As we continue to grow our economy, it is vital that we continue to expand our trade network and unlock new markets in which to sell our finished goods. We look forward to continuing to pave the way for East Asian economic success by leading the regional comprehensive economic partnership. The party will continue to ensure that its territory fosters a favorable trading environment for all countries wanting to do business with China. We believe that innovation is key for China's future success and development. In the past years, President Xi has garnered momentum with scientific and technological breakthroughs and innovation. We have no intention of slowing our efforts to continue to innovate, especially in core technologies that pertain to our interests, many of which are outlined in the Made in China 2025 initiative. We believe in a multilateral approach to both global health and climate change. We are fighting adamantly against global warming with new innovations and technologies. However, we recognize the different capabilities of each country and encourage proportional responses to global warming. The novel coronavirus has affected the entire world. We are willing to work with other countries as well as the WHO through solidarity, coordination and cooperation to set up future preventative measures and exchange innovations. Lastly, the Korean Peninsula is an obvious area of interest for us given its close proximity and the potentially devastating repercussions of military conflicts. We are determined to maintain peaceful negotiations both surrounding the denuclearization of North Korea and Korean unification. We look forward to discussion with the other delegations throughout the conference. Thank you. Thank you, Delegate of China. And with that, we have now finished all delegates opening statements. We will shortly be adjourning this session to go directly into your delegation meetings, which can be found in the link that Ben sent everyone in the chat. You will meet with your delegation until 5 p.m. And then starting at 5 p.m., we will then go directly into committee meetings and then adjourn later tonight. Thank you, Delegates. And we all look forward to the coming day of discussion. And with that... Can you resend the link for the delegation meeting? Yes, of course, of course. Can everyone see that? Yeah. Wonderful. Thank you, Delegates.