TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) called for closer energy cooperation with Australia during a banquet with a visiting Australian delegation on Wednesday.
Lin said in a Facebook post that Taiwan is Australia’s eighth-largest trading partner and sixth-largest export market. Australia is a vital source of energy and minerals for Taiwan, he said.
Amid global supply chain restructuring and the transition to net zero, there is significant room for deeper cooperation in energy security, offshore wind power, hydrogen energy, and reliable supply chains, he added.
Lin thanked the Australian Parliament for its longstanding support of Taiwan’s international participation. This includes recommending that the Australian government assist Taiwan in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and calling for the promotion of a bilateral free trade agreement, he said.
Taiwan will continue to stand with Australia and other like-minded nations to support one another and deepen cooperation, Lin said. “We will ensure that our shared values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law remain a powerful force in safeguarding peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Australian Senator Carol Brown said Taiwan is a very important partner for her country, both economically and strategically. Brown said she looked forward to strengthening Taiwan-Australia relations.
Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan said the challenges Taiwan faces are not solely its own concern. They are vital to the peace, stability, and security of the entire region, he said.
