TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) met senior members of the European Parliament and legislators from Belgium and Luxembourg during the latest stage of his European trip, reports said Friday (June 16).

The highlight of his tour so far was sharing the stage with Czech President Peter Pavel at a think tank forum in Prague Wednesday (June 14). It was reportedly the first time that the head of state of a European Union nation was seen in the same room as a foreign minister from Taiwan.

By Friday, Wu had moved on to Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the seat of the EU government. European Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer welcomed him with a message on Twitter.

She described Taiwan as “an important and reliable economic partner for the EU” and as “a firm member of the democratic family.” Beer and Wu agreed to intensify exchanges and cooperation between the EU and Taiwan, she tweeted.

CNA noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) did not provide ample information about Wu’s trip, preferring to maintain a low profile. Taiwan wanted to avoid giving the impression that Wu’s contacts in Poland and the EU were official in order to avoid problems for his hosts, the report said.

In Brussels, the foreign minister also met with six other members of the European Parliament, and of the parliaments of Belgium and Luxembourg. It is not known whether he will visit other European countries and when he will return to Taiwan.