President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 9 that Taiwan is willing and able to enter into negotiations with the EU on a bilateral investment agreement so as to expand exchanges between the two sides across a broad spectrum of areas.
The EU has long been Taiwan’s leading source of foreign direct investment, Tsai said. It is anticipated this healthy state of affairs will serve as the impetus for initiating BIA talks on the road to delivering more win-win opportunities for the people, she added.
Tsai made the remarks while meeting with Hans van Baalen, a member of the European Parliament and president of Belgium-headquartered Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, at the Office of the President in Taipei City. The Dutch national is visiting Taiwan for the first time since attending Tsai’s inauguration in May 2016.
According to the president, the government’s five-plus-two industrial innovation program is creating a wealth of collaborative possibilities for Taiwan and the EU, especially in the areas of green energy technology and Internet of Things.
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the economic revitalization program targets the three other high-growth sectors of biotech and pharmaceuticals, national defense and smart machinery, as well as the promotion of two concepts: the circular economy and a new paradigm for agricultural development.
Regarding Taiwan-Netherlands relations, Tsai said they are going from strength to strength. It is hoped the two sides will work toward fast-tracking the signing of reciprocal customs cooperation and working holiday agreements, she added.
The president also took the opportunity to thank Baalen for his staunch support of Taiwan’s efforts to secure meaningful participation in multilateral organizations. It is sincerely hoped this backing over the years in his capacity as an MEP and president of Liberal International will continue going forward, she said.
Established in 1947, LI aims to build and safeguard free, fair and open societies. Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, of which Tsai serves as chairperson, is a long-standing member of the U.K.-based federation of political groups and affiliated organizations. (SFC-E)
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