U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback is visiting Taiwan March 10-13, reflecting the strong friendship between the like-minded partners, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A long-time supporter of Taiwan, Brownback was a member of the Taiwan Caucus while serving as a U.S. senator from 1996 to 2011, the MOFA said. The former governor of Kansas' first visit to the country is sincerely welcomed by the people and government, the ministry added.
During Brownback's trip, he delivered a keynote speech at the 2019 Regional Religious Freedom Forum: A Civil Society Dialogue on Securing Religious Freedom in the Indo-Pacific Region March 11 in Taipei City.
Organized by Taipei City-based Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, the two-day event is the first of its kind in the region and features academics, experts and officials from more than 10 like-minded countries.
The forum is seen as playing a key role in advancing religious freedom while promoting democracy and human rights throughout the Indo-Pacific. It was inspired by the inaugural Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last July in Washington, the MOFA said.
During the remainder of his visit, Brownback will meet with senior government officials, legislators and religious leaders to discuss ways for Taiwan and the U.S. to jointly promote religious freedom and shared values. (SFC-E)
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