Luxembourg’s decision to open an official representative office in Taipei this week is an indication of the value it places on relations with Taiwan, the head of the office said yesterday.
“This is a part of the overall strategic economic positioning of Luxembourg in Asia, which includes setting up offices in Seoul, Shanghai, India, Dubai, Tokyo and Taipei,” Hugues Mignot, the executive director of the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office, Taipei, said in a telephone interview. “Because of the improving relations at all levels with China, the world is even more attracted to Taiwan than before, as it looks at Taiwan as a hub for improving and developing additional relations with China.”
Chiu Jong-jen (邱仲仁), director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MOFA) Department of European Affairs, said that the ministry welcomed the establishment of the Luxembourg office, as it would help the Western European country gain a better understanding of Taiwan’s economic and political situation and boost bilateral exchanges.
Luxembourg, one the founders of the EU, is the 17th European entity to open an office in Taiwan.
Mignot said the opening of the office in Taipei followed a series of successful bilateral contacts between the two countries.
He said there were already very strong economic links between the two sides, but Luxembourg wanted to develop a new kind of relationship with Taiwan.
He said he would work to reinforce the substance of the existing relations in such fields as air cargo, logistics, financial and investments funds management, Web hosting, radio and satellite TV management and shipping registration.
Taiwan and Luxembourg could also cooperate in high-technology businesses, such as photovoltaic and healthcare research, he added.
Mignot, a Belgian who has served as director of the Belgium Office in Taipei over the past two decades, said that he was appointed to head the Luxembourg office because of his experience. The appointment demonstrated the diversity and openness of Luxembourg, which has three official languages and more than 300,000 migrant workers from other European countries, he said.
As the top Luxembourg representative to Taiwan, Mignot promised to work on a treaty between Taipei and Luxembourg on avoiding double taxation, and to promote academic and cultural exchanges.
RSS