TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) returned to Taiwan from a trip to Europe on Sunday (Oct. 20), arriving at Taoyuan International Airport on a China Airlines flight at 5:46 a.m.
Tsai was greeted by reporters upon arrival, and when asked if her tour of Europe was successful, she smiled and nodded, per UDN. Tsai later took to social media to thank the countries and groups that hosted her over the past week, and to express gratitude to Taiwan’s allies around the world.
During her trip, Tsai visited France, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. She also stopped in Brussels, where she met with European lawmakers and became the first head of state from Taiwan to enter the European Parliament buildings, per UDN.
In a Facebook post, Tsai noted that during her visit she conveyed Taiwan’s determination and resilience in resisting authoritarianism. She emphasized to European allies that Taiwan is a trustworthy and reliable partner in both protecting the spirit of democracy and promoting strong economic ties.
Tsai also thanked the overseas Taiwanese community for their enthusiastic support of Taiwan. She said Taiwan’s global engagement will not stop but will continue to strengthen and accelerate moving forward.