TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The French Senate delegation, led by Alain Richard, Chairman of the Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, stopped by the Legislative Yuan on Friday (Oct. 8) to call on You Si-kun ((游錫堃), president of the Legislative Yuan.

When receiving the delegation, You asked about China threatening sanctions to protest their Taiwan trip. Vice Chairman of the French Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Oliver Cadick, said that Beijing banned them from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau, but not Taiwan, Liberty Times reported.

This proves that the East Asian democracy is not part of China, Cadick said.

Richard said that this visit was decided long ago because Taiwan-France relations are very good, and the two governments have mutual long-standing friendship groups. Exchanges between the two parliaments are very important and a matter of course, he added.

Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) earlier praised the arrival of the French Senate delegation as a symbol of France’s commitment to democratic values. The two countries have been cooperating closely in the fields of economy, trade, culture, science, and technology in recent years, he said.

The delegation is scheduled to depart Taiwan on Sunday.