TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.K. Labour Party member Lord Leong highlighted the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan’s economic development during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Tuesday (April 2).
The U.K. seeks to learn from Taiwan’s experience in this regard, Leong, who is leading a party delegation around Taiwan, said, according to the Presidential Office. He said supporting SMEs helps build a flexible and forward-looking economy, as they account for approximately 98% of Taiwan’s enterprises.
Leong pointed out Kavalan Whisky’s success on the world stage in less than 20 years. This is a successful case of continuous innovation by learning from the world and integrating existing traditions with modern technology, which is inspiring, he said.
The parliamentarian said that over the past eight years, Taiwan under Tsai and the Democratic Progressive Party has gained great momentum and achieved economic accomplishments. This proves that stable governance leads to long-term strategic thinking and investment, which is crucial in the competitive and changing global environment, he said.
The Labour Party is closely following Taiwan’s progress, he added.
Leong wished Taiwan a smooth future under President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德). He said he hoped that delegation members would be able to visit Taiwan again as government representatives to continue strengthening the bilateral relationship.
The delegation is in Taiwan until April 5 to meet with high-level government officials to exchange views on political and economic developments in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan-U.K. economic and trade relations, and cooperation in scientific research and innovation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Leong has been concerned about the Indo-Pacific region. He has urged various sectors in the U.K. to pay attention to Taiwan and is committed to deepening bilateral exchanges, making him a friend of Taiwan in the U.K., the ministry said.
