President of the Republic of China, Tsai Ing-wen, met with the visiting delegation from the UK Parliament’s “Taiwan All-Party Parliamentary Group” today, pointing out that Taiwan-UK relations have made significant progress in recent years. She expressed her hopes for further deepening these relations to jointly safeguard regional and global peace and stability, creating mutually beneficial partnerships between Taiwan and the UK, as well as Taiwan and various European countries.
The Presidential Office of the Republic of China stated that the delegation, led by Chairperson Sarah Champion, also included members of the UK Parliament such as Lord Purvis of Tweed, Ben Spencer, Helena Dollimore, Noah Law, and David Reed. They were accompanied by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China Wu Chih-chung and Director of the British Office in Taipei Natasha Harrington to meet with President Tsai at the Presidential Office.
In his address to the visiting members of parliament on their inaugural visit to Taiwan, President Tsai expressed a warm welcome on behalf of the Taiwanese people. He mentioned the previous visits of Chairperson Sarah Champion to Taiwan, including attending his and Vice President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration ceremony last May and the “Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)” Taipei Summit in July. President Tsai was pleased to reunite with Chairperson Sarah Champion at the Presidential Office.
President Tsai highlighted the significant progress in Taiwan-UK relations in recent years, expressing gratitude to the distinguished guests and the UK Parliament and government for their continuous support for Taiwan through various means. He specifically mentioned the debate in the UK House of Commons in November last year regarding “Taiwan’s international status”, which led to the unanimous passage of a motion supporting Taiwan, clarifying that “UN Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan”. The response of Catherine West, British Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, affirming opposition to any attempt to rewrite history by expanding the interpretation of the resolution further solidifies the progress in bilateral relations between Taiwan and the UK.
President Tsai thanked the UK Parliament and government for openly opposing unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and emphasized the inseparability of security in the Indo-Pacific and transatlantic regions. He looks forward to further deepening Taiwan-UK relations to jointly uphold regional and global peace and stability, fostering mutual benefits between Taiwan and the UK, as well as other European countries.
President Tsai pointed out that the signed “Agreement on Enhancing Trade Partnerships” between Taiwan and the UK is the first bilateral economic and trade institutional framework between Taiwan and European countries. He expressed hope for negotiations and cooperation in investment, digital trade, energy, and clean energy transition to progress promptly, sign sub-agreements, and facilitate more exchanges and collaborations between Taiwan and the UK. He also anticipates continued UK support for Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), enabling both sides to build a more resilient international supply chain and make more contributions to global prosperity and development.
President Tsai believes that the visit of the distinguished guests will establish a stronger foundation for future cooperation between Taiwan and the UK. He extended his gratitude to the visitors for their support towards Taiwan and wished them a fruitful outcome from their visit.
In her address, Chairperson Sarah Champion expressed gratitude for President Tsai’s warm welcome and the hospitality extended to the delegation during their visit. She thanked Taiwan’s excellent diplomatic team for their care and attention towards them. Highlighting the importance of the “Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)” Taipei Summit in July last year, where lawmakers from 23 countries gathered to express support for Taiwan, she emphasized the ongoing commitment towards Taiwan since that meeting. She also proudly mentioned the UK Parliament’s passage of the motion supporting Taiwan, affirming that UN Resolution 2758 is directed at and limited to the Chinese Communist Party, providing a robust argument.
Chairperson Sarah Champion mentioned that after the recent UK elections, over half of the parliament members are new, including new members in their delegation, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to Taiwan. She emphasized that the “Taiwan All-Party Parliamentary Group” is a bipartisan group working together for common interests, and safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty is in the shared interest of the UK and the world. With the clear support of the United States for Taiwan, they hope to encourage other countries worldwide to express similar support.
“The 27th Taiwan-UK economic and trade dialogue is approaching, and we hope it will develop into a fruitful partnership. I am delighted to meet with President Tsai, leaders of the Legislative Yuan, and various government departments during this visit, gaining a deeper understanding of Taiwanese culture. We aspire to establish a more profound and lasting friendship between our two nations,” said Chairperson Sarah Champion.