Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who is in New York on a stopover ahead of a tour of Central America, has called for countries to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan in the fields of security and economy.

Tsai made a closed-door speech on Thursday night at an event hosted by the Hudson Institute think tank.

She was honored by the institute with its Global Leadership Award for having led a "vibrant democracy with great courage and clear-eyed determination" to "maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Taiwan's presidential office quoted her as saying that as an unstable Taiwan Strait would pose serious economic and security risks to the world, it is extremely important for countries to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The office says Tsai called for not only strengthening security cooperation, but also fostering stronger economic partnerships.

She said at a banquet attended by expatriates on Wednesday night that Taiwan-US relations are closer than ever.

She has been apparently seeking to enhance Taiwan's presence and stress her administration's diplomatic achievements during her "transit" through New York.