Premier Su Tseng-chang on Thursday received a delegation led by France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Franois de Rugy, and extended a warm welcome on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan. The premier specially thanked the French National Assembly for passing a resolution in November supporting Taiwan's participation in international organizations and multilateral platforms, which showed the people of Taiwan how highly France regards the relationship between the two countries.
In traveling so far to pay a special visit to Taiwan, Chairman de Rugy and members of the French National Assembly demonstrate the importance they attach to the Taiwan-French friendship. Though the two sides are geographically far apart, our shared respect for values like democracy, the rule of law and human rights have brought us closer together, Premier Su said.
The French National Assembly passed the resolution backing Taiwan's inclusion in international organizations by an overwhelming vote. This followed the first Taiwan-friendly resolution passed by the French Senate in May this year, again demonstrating the French public's strong support for Taiwan, as well as staunch support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations and enhanced global status, touching and inspiring the people of Taiwan, the premier said.
Taiwan and France, the premier said, also have a long history of cooperation in areas including economics and trade, disease prevention, and science and technology. In the future, we hope to have even greater cooperation across the board in comprehensive industry chain restructuring, information and communications industries, chips, and semiconductors that is mutually beneficial. The premier noted that France is a prominent member of the European Union, and will chair the European Council for the first half of 2022. We have high hopes that will present an opportunity, based on previous Taiwan-France bilateral cooperation, to further promote the negotiation and signing of a Taiwan-EU bilateral investment agreement.
The visiting delegation included France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and French National Assembly members Jean-Luc Reitzer, Jean-Louis Bricout, Frdrique Dumas, Jean Franois Mbaye and Aina Kuric, accompanied by Director Jean-Franois Casabonne-Masonnave and Head of Political Affairs, Press and Communication Section Pierre Goulange from the French Office in Taipei.