The arrival of a delegation from the French Senate is sincerely welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said July 23.
Led by Andre Gattolin, vice chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces Committee, the group comprises Andre Vallini, a vice chair of the senatorial Taiwan friendship group, Etienne Blanc and Annick Jacquemet.
According to the MOFA, the group is the third from the EU member state’s lawmaking bodies to visit Taiwan this year, following the trips led by Alain Richard and Eric Bothorel, chairs of the Taiwan friendship groups of the French Senate and National Assembly, respectively. Such positive developments reflect the strong bond between the like-minded partners, the ministry added.
The MOFA said Gattolin is a steadfast friend whose support for Taiwan includes initiating a letter, signed in 2020 by 110 members of the French Parliament, calling for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly. He is also a co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which was established in 2020 to deepen collaboration between lawmakers from various countries on issues related to China.
In addition to an audience with Vice President Lai Ching-te, the group will meet with Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun, National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo and MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu, among other senior officials.
During their stay, the lawmakers will also attend banquets hosted by Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun and MOFA Vice Minister Alexander Tah-ray Yui, as well as tour key cultural and economic sites to better understand Taiwan’s vibrant democracy, the ministry added.
The MOFA said the delegates will focus their discussions on geopolitical developments in the Indo-Pacific, human rights issues, bilateral trade, environmental protection and semiconductor exchanges in order to seek more cooperation for mutual benefit.
As China continues to ramp up its threats against Taiwan, the group’s visit sends a clear message: the French Senate stands with Taiwan in defending shared values, the ministry said. (SFC-E)
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