The visit by a Belgian parliamentary delegation is sincerely welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oct. 15.
The eight-member cross-party committee group is led by Els Van Hoof, on her third visit to Taiwan, who chairs the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chairs both the Belgium-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.
During their 6-day visit, the delegation will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun, Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua, Digital Minister Audrey Tang and Ministry of Environment officials. It will also attend a banquet hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu.
The delegation’s itinerary includes visits to green energy, semiconductors and gender equality related corporations or research institutions, where they will discuss bilateral cooperation in gender issues, human rights, environment, energy and the building of resilient supply chains.
In recent years Hoof has closely monitored cross-strait relations and supported Taiwan’s international participation through raising parliamentary questions and participation in both Formosa Club and IPAC, the MOFA added. For example, in 2020, Hoof proposed a motion urging the Belgian government to promote Taiwan's meaningful involvement in international bodies and maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
MOFA looks forward to deepening bilateral exchange between Taiwan and Belgium in various fields and is grateful for the substantive support shown for Taiwan. It believes that the visit underscores the importance that European countries attach to cross-strait and regional peace and prosperity. (POC-E)
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