TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Thursday (Dec. 15) welcomed the arrival of European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs member Anna Fotyga.

This is the second visit by a senior member of the European Parliament following Vice President Nicola Beer’s trip in July, per a MOFA press release. Fotyga, the former Polish foreign minister, has long supported Taiwan and is concerned about China's military threat, the foreign ministry said.

She has spoken publicly in the European Parliament many times in support of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and has actively pushed for deeper Taiwan-EU relations, MOFA added.

During her four-day trip, Fotyga and her delegation will visit the foreign ministry, the Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the European Economic and Trade Office, and attend a banquet hosted by Deputy Foreign Minister Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥). The group will also have talks with Taiwan government ministries on Taiwan-EU and Taiwan-Poland economic and trade cooperation.

“As the Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing and China continues to threaten Taiwan with its military, the foreign minister welcomes Fotyga’s visit as an act of support for Taiwan and regional peace and stability,” MOFA said.

The foreign ministry said it hoped this visit would accumulate more momentum for bolstering the democratic partnership between Taiwan and the EU and bilateral cooperation in multiple areas based on shared values including freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.