TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The French Senate will continue advocating for Taiwan, chairman of the senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, Alain Richard, said on Wednesday (Feb. 1).
Speaking at a Lunar New Year gala hosted by Taiwan’s French representative office, Richard said the senate will continue urging the French government to help maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and defend Taiwan's democratic values through "parliamentary diplomacy," CNA cited him as saying. The French public has been paying more attention to Taiwan because of its successful fight against the pandemic, strong economy, and embrace of universal values; and their attitude toward the nation has become more friendly, Richard said.
He mentioned that he met with Taiwan Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) in France a few months ago and said that the senate Taiwan Friendship Group will continue promoting bilateral relations and strengthening the France-Taiwan alliance of shared values.
Taiwan envoy to France Wu Chih-chung (吳志中) thanked both houses of the French parliament for passing resolutions supporting Taiwan’s international participation in 2021 and praised the joint statement issued by Australia and France after the 2+2 foreign and defense ministerial consultation on Jan. 30.
Taiwan hopes the French government and parliament will continue calling on Beijing not to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, Wu said. Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing is vital for the world and maintaining the status quo is in the interests of all parties, he added.
After the gala, French lawmakers Mireille Clapot, Constance Le Grip, Andre Vallini, Joel Guerriau, and Cyril Pellevat took to Twitter to express support for Taiwan and Taiwan-France relations, per CNA.