The visit by a delegation from the Norwegian Liberal Party is sincerely welcomed by the government and people of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nov. 20.
Led by Guri Melby, the party’s chair and the second vice chair of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, the delegation is in Taiwan for a six-day stay. Other party members such as Fredrik Castens, Malin Eidsvag Ostevik and Solveig Hillestad are also part of the group.
The delegation will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and attend a banquet hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang. They will also call on Control Yuan President and National Human Rights Commission Chair Chen Chu, as well as Environmental Minister Shieu Fuh-Sheng, among others.
According to the MOFA, Melby is scheduled to deliver an address at New Taipei City-based Tamkang University, where she will focus on the ways Taiwan can be a partner for peace and prosperity as democracies worldwide face authoritarian threats following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The ministry praised Melby, the former minister of education and integration, as a long-term supporter of human rights who nominated the people of Hong Kong for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. The MOFA took the opportunity to thank her for backing Taiwan’s bid to join the World Health Assembly and for proposing bills urging the Norwegian government to pay closer attention to China’s threat to Taiwan.
Taiwan and Norway share the values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, the MOFA said, adding that the current visit will help deepen friendship and boost exchanges between the two sides. The government will continue to work with like-minded partners such as Norway to jointly safeguard the rules-based international order, according to the ministry. (YCH-E)
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