Visits by delegations from the legislative bodies of Tuvalu, Lithuania and Germany are welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Led by Speaker Samuelu Penitala Teo, the Tuvalu group arrived Jan. 8. The Lithuania delegation, which touched down Jan. 9, is headed by Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Seimas’ Committee on National Security and Defense, and Dovile Sakaliene, deputy head of the Parliamentary Group for Relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan), while the Germany group arriving the same day is led by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, and Johannes Vogel, deputy chair of the Free Democratic Party.
During their five- to six-day stays, the delegations will each receive an audience with President Tsai Ing-wen and meet Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu. The Lithuanian and German groups will also visit Premier Su Tseng-chang, Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun and National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo, as well as various ministries and agencies.
Other itinerary highlights include the signing of a joint statement on collaboration between the LY and Tuvalu’s Parliament, a visit to the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), and tours of food processing and aquaculture enterprises by the Tuvaluan group; discussions on cross-strait and European peace and stability with members of Taiwan’s national defense think tanks for the Lithuanian delegation; and visits to Jing-Mei White Terror Memorial Park and Hsinchu Science Park and a meeting with local think tank representatives by the German group.
According to the MOFA, the Tuvalu delegation’s trip follows the visit of the country’s Prime Minister Kausea Natano last September to Taiwan. Since establishing official ties in 1979, Taiwan and Tuvalu have cooperated in areas spanning agriculture, clean energy, education, fisheries, medicine and public health, the ministry added.
The MOFA also thanked Lithuania’s parliamentary Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen for voicing support for Taiwan following China’s live-fire drills last August. The two sides will further collaborate on security during the visit while demonstrating democratic unity in the face of authoritarian expansion, the ministry said.
Germany’s recent active engagement in Indo-Pacific affairs and commitment to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are welcomed, the MOFA said, adding that the government will continue working with like-minded partners to ensure openness and prosperity in the region. (YCH-E)
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