TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislative Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) visited Ireland on the first stop of his Europe tour. 

At a luncheon on Sunday, Chiang said that Taiwan and Ireland share universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Both economies are dependent on international trade and high-tech industries, CNA reported him as saying. 

He thanked Irish lawmakers for voicing support for Taiwan in international forums and backing Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly, which demonstrates a strong friendship that Taiwan deeply appreciates.

Chiang said Taiwan and Ireland should work closely in the wake of heightened US tariffs. Since the two countries share similar semiconductor development goals, they can pursue even closer collaboration in the chip supply chain, he said.

On Monday, Chiang visited Taiwan’s representative office for a briefing and later met with the Taiwan-Ireland Parliamentary Friendship Society Secretary-General Diarmuid Wilson and Senators Gerard Craughwell and Aiden Davitt. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and deepen their democratic partnership.

Chiang hoped that Ireland would reopen its representative office in Taiwan, which would help bolster bilateral cooperation.