Italian Parliament Finance Committee Chairman Marco Osnato led a bipartisan delegation to visit Taiwan and met with Vice President of the Republic of China, Xiao Meiqin, on January 10th. Xiao Meiqin expressed that the people of Taiwan cherish peace and hope to maintain the current peaceful and stable situation, looking forward to deepening economic cooperation and strengthening partnership between the two countries.
During the afternoon of January 10th, Xiao Meiqin met with Marco Osnato, Chairman of the Italian Parliament’s Finance Committee, and his delegation. In her speech, she first welcomed the delegation and thanked them for coming all the way from Italy to show the important friendship with the people of Taiwan.
The delegation members include Vice Chair of the Committee on Economic, Trade, Tourism and Chairman of Paola De Micheli, Executive Secretary of the Finance Committee Mauro Del Barba, Vice Chair of the Committee on Parliamentary Media Communication Policy and Supervision Augusta Montaruli, Committee members Salvatore Caiata and Giangiacomo Calovini from the Foreign Affairs Committee, among other heavyweight bipartisan lawmakers.
Xiao Meiqin thanked Chairman Osnato and the visiting guests for their continued support of the Taiwan-Italy partnership and assistance to the Taiwan Representative Office in Italy, as well as their resolutions supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
She also expressed gratitude to the Italian government and people for their emphasis on the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during Italy’s presidency of the G7, which is crucial for Taiwan’s security.
Xiao Meiqin stated that the people of Taiwan cherish peace and hope to maintain the current peaceful and stable situation. The people of Taiwan share the same spirit of innovation and creativity as the Italian people, and she looks forward to deepening economic cooperation and enhancing partnership between the two countries to jointly promote greater prosperity.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated, “Chairman Osnato is a steadfast friend of our country, and the delegation members are members of the Italy-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association. The Italian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution supporting meaningful participation of Taiwan in United Nations agencies and specialized organizations during the UN General Assembly last September, as well as any initiatives that help Taiwan break through diplomatic isolation.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China also said, “In 2023, Italy was the fourth largest bilateral trade partner of our country within the EU, and there are Taiwanese businesses investing in Italy, particularly in sectors like the semiconductor industry. The close economic and trade relations between the two sides are evident. The fact that the Italian Parliament sent a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan demonstrates the attention and importance both ruling and opposition parties place on Taiwan.”
Translation provided by AI.