The arrival of a delegation from the Australian Parliament is sincerely welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sept. 25.
Led by Rep. Josh Wilson and Rep. Paul Fletcher, the cross-party group is in the country till Sept 28 on a fact-finding tour. The delegates will meet with senior government officials to exchange views on issues of mutual concern such as the geopolitical situation, bilateral trade, human rights protection, digital technology and information security. They will also attend a dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu.
According to MOFA, Taiwan and Australia are like-minded partners bound by their shared commitment to freedom, democracy and protection of human rights. Two-way trade has tripled since 2020, with Taiwan now being Australia’s fifth-largest trading partner and fourth-largest export destination, while Australia is Taiwan’s leading supplier of energy and mineral products, the ministry said.
At the same time, the MOFA said the two sides also enjoy close cooperation in areas including medical care, clean energy, public health, biotechnology, indigenous affairs, art and culture, bilingual education and vocational training.
The Australian government has continued to express the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and to oppose unilateral changes to the status quo in statements issued following major global meetings, the ministry said.
This visit underscores the support for Taiwan by the parliamentarians and their resolute stance toward upholding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the MOFA said, adding that the government will continue to expand the mutually beneficial relationship based on this robust foundation. (SFC-E)
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