TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) on Monday called for closer Taiwan-France relations in a meeting with experts at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI).
Han said that if tensions in the Taiwan Strait were to escalate, the most unpredictable factor would be the level of international support for Taiwan, according to the Legislative Yuan. He said the more friends Taiwan has globally, the safer Taiwan will be.
Han suggested that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, France could speak up more for Taiwan on the international stage. He expressed hope that more people from France would visit Taiwan to deepen bilateral ties.
He also called for French universities to establish branch campuses in Taiwan, using existing resources to help transform Taiwan into an important educational hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
Han and his legislative delegation exchanged views with IFRI experts on issues including Taiwan’s national defense, energy resilience, and cross-strait relations. The legislators emphasized that although political parties may differ on approaches or policy priorities, protecting Taiwan’s democracy, strengthening defense capabilities, and maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait are shared bipartisan goals.
The legislative speaker is on a trip to France and the UK to promote legislative diplomacy. He is also expected to attend the Council of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Europe (ETCC) welcome banquet in London on Friday and participate in the 32nd ETCC General Assembly the next day.
