TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A delegation of lawmakers from Colombia said Thursday they hope their country can reopen a representative office in Taiwan in the near future, reports said.

The group voiced the suggestion during a meeting with Legislative Yuan Deputy Speaker Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣), per CNA. Colombia closed its trade office in Taipei in 2002.

Sen. Jose Luis Perez Oyuela, a former chair of the Colombian Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, headed the delegation. He thanked Taiwan for assistance on issues including farm technology and scholarships.

Perez also said he hoped problems such as visa regulations could be resolved to allow more exchanges in tourism, trade, and culture. He invited the Legislative Yuan to send a delegation for a return visit to Colombia.

While most Taiwanese might not be familiar with the Latin American country, the Pacific Ocean forms a link between the two, Chiang told the visitors. Both nations share the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, he added.