New Zealand cross-party parliamentary delegation to visit Taiwan, will meet with Lai Ching-te

A delegation of 7 members from the New Zealand Parliament’s “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan” arrived in Taiwan on the 13th, as reported by Epoch Times. The group is scheduled to meet with President Lai Ching-te and other officials during their visit to Taiwan. Additionally, Jan Bartošek, Vice Chairman of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, also visited Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China warmly welcomes the visit of the bipartisan group from New Zealand parliament and Vice Chairman Bartošek from the Czech Republic.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated in a press release that the delegation from the New Zealand Parliament’s “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan” will be in Taiwan from the 13th to the 18th. They will meet with President Lai Ching-te and attend banquets hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu, as well as hold discussions with relevant ministries on mutual concerns. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed sincere welcome to the delegation.

The members of the delegation include Chief Delegate Stuart Smith of the National Party, Co-Delegate Tangi Utikere of the Labour Party, Deputy Chief Whip and Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Jamie Arbuckle of the First Party, Vice Chairman of the Petitions Committee Greg Fleming of the National Party, Vice Chairman of the Health Committee Hamish Campbell of the National Party, Vice Chairman of the Special Committee on Transnational Parliamentary Exchange Cameron Luxton of the Action Party, and Member Helen White of the Labour Party. This diverse delegation demonstrates bipartisan support from New Zealand parliament towards Taiwan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China highlighted that New Zealand is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan and New Zealand share common values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and a mutual respect for indigenous rights. Bilateral economic and trade relations have been steadily deepening under the framework of the “ANZTEC” economic cooperation agreement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended the visit of the bipartisan group from New Zealand Parliament, believing that it will further enhance the friendly partnership between the two countries on the basis of shared values, promoting democracy, peace, and prosperity in the region.

Moreover, Vice Chairman Jan Bartošek of the Czech Chamber of Deputies visited Taiwan from the 13th to the 16th to engage in exchanges on international information security cooperation with both public and private sectors in Taiwan. Vice Chairman Bartošek, who previously visited Taiwan in 2016, was warmly welcomed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his return visit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China mentioned that Vice Chairman Bartošek has long been involved in security issues, serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Military Intelligence Supervisory Committee and a member of the International Relations and Intelligence Office Supervisory Committee in the Czech Republic. His extensive experience in formulating Czech national cybersecurity policies and promoting international cybersecurity cooperation is acknowledged. During his visit to Taiwan, Vice Chairman Bartošek will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung, Secretary-General of the National Security Council Wu Zhao-xie, the Ministry of Digital Development, and other relevant ministries. He will also attend this year’s “CYBERSEC 2025 Taiwan Cybersecurity Conference,” deliver a keynote speech, participate in cybersecurity field events, and witness the research and development achievements of Taiwan’s independent cybersecurity businesses.

Vice Chairman Bartošek has been a member of the Czech Chamber of Deputies since 2013, actively supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). He has hosted important delegations from Taiwan to the Czech Republic on multiple occasions, establishing himself as a steadfast friend of Taiwan. This visit is expected to contribute to enhancing the cybersecurity resilience of both Taiwan and the Czech Republic.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China emphasized that Taiwan and the Czech Republic share democratic values and freedoms. On the basis of mutual trust, reciprocity, and mutual benefit, the ministry will continue to deepen the democratic partnership between Taiwan and the Czech Republic to address threats and challenges posed by authoritarian regimes to the global democratic community.