TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) spoke to the visiting Polish and Italian parliamentary delegations in separate meetings on Monday morning (June 19).
Tsai highlighted Poland’s support for Taiwan's international participation, including passing a resolution supporting Taiwan's inclusion in the World Health Organization (WHO) and issuing a joint statement advocating for more Taiwan engagement with the global community. Tsai pointed out that in April, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki publicly expressed support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during his visit to the U.S.
Tsai said that in recent years, Taiwan and Poland have cooperated in fighting the pandemic and faced the challenges of authoritarian expansion. The two countries have also assisted Ukrainian refugees in Poland after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In the future, Taiwan will continue to work with Poland and neighboring countries to assist Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction, Tsai said. The president added that she looked forward to deepening the partnership between Taiwan and Poland in various fields.
Barbara Bartus, vice chairwoman of the Polish lower house Foreign Affairs Committee and leader of the Polish delegation, said Taiwan is a very important cooperative partner for the delegation. Poland is located in central-eastern Europe and has tremendous economic potential, Bartus said.
In the future, establishing direct air links between Taiwan and Poland would be a very good opportunity and would contribute to deepening bilateral relations, Bartus said. She thanked Taiwan for providing assistance and support to Ukrainian refugees and for imposing sanctions on Russia.
Regarding economic issues, the lawmaker said Poland is particularly interested in Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Bartus said she hopes cooperation between the two countries will include investment, research and development, technology transfer, talent training, and agriculture.
Bartus added that she is eager to continue educational cooperation between Taiwan and Poland in the future, further enhancing bilateral relations.
During her meeting with the Italian delegation, Tsai said she looked forward to deepening the partnership between Taiwan and Italy. There are Taiwanese businesses planning to expand investments and establish factories in Italy, she said.
The president pointed out that Taiwan, Italy, and the EU have various advantages in the semiconductor and high-tech industries. Taiwan hopes to continue deepening cooperation in the future and jointly build a resilient democratic supply chain, she said.
Tsai also expressed gratitude for Italy's support for Taiwan. In 2022, the Italian parliament passed three resolutions in support of Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and supporting Taiwan's international participation, she said.
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani has repeatedly reiterated support for maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, and Italy has also dispatched navy ships to ensure stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific region, Tsai said.
Italian Senate Vice President Gian Marco Centinaio said Taiwan and Italy have a friendly, cooperative relationship that he hoped would not only be limited to the economic sphere but extend to cultural and, to some extent, political relations. Centinaio said he was happy to see the opening of the new Taiwanese representative office in Milan, as the city is the economic capital of Italy and the hub of direct flights to Taipei.
Regarding Western support for Taiwan, Centinaio said G7 countries have publicly expressed their desire for peace in the Taiwan Strait and the hope that the democratic system can continue around the world.
The senate vice president thanked Tsai for her warm reception and hoped the friendship between Taiwan and Italy would last forever, with continued exchanges in the economic, social, cultural, and technological spheres. He added that Italy will continue to support Taiwan, just as they have spared no effort in promoting its recognition by the World Health Organization because it is Taiwan's right.