President pledges aid for SMEs, touts the economy By Su Yung-yao and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday pledged a comprehensive industry upgrade for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) after touting the government’s economic achievements amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Tsai made the remarks at a meeting in Taipei with representatives of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation. “We have controlled the pandemic and did what every government in the world wanted to do, which is [ensuring] normal lives [for citizens], in addition to stabilizing the economy in this difficult time,” Tsai said.