President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday met with a visiting French parliamentary delegation in Taipei, with both sides expressing their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors.
During the meeting at the Presidential Office Building, Lai thanked the delegation led by French lawmaker Marie-Noelle Battistel for her support at the French National Assembly for freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
Amid geopolitical and economic challenges, Taiwan would continue working closely with France and other like-minded countries to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and contribute to global prosperity, he said.
Photo: CNA
He added that he looked forward to seeing “new momentum to bilateral relations” as both sides continue to deepen their partnership in the fields of trade, energy and cybersecurity.
At the Choose France Summit in Paris last month, Taiwanese and French companies announced that they would cooperate in the fields of semiconductors and satellites, Lai said, adding that many Taiwanese manufacturers are also participating in the Viva Technology conference in France, which began on Wednesday and ends tomorrow.
Lai also thanked France for being among the first countries to establish legislation defending freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait.
France stands as a pioneer in championing democracy and freedom — values that Taiwan also cherishes and defends, Lai said.
Battistel reaffirmed her support for Taiwan, adding that she remained committed to “strengthening the ties between our two democratic countries in a complex geopolitical context.”
Battistel, who is chairwoman of the French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group, also emphasized shared concerns, such as foreign interference and disinformation, which she said could undermine the security of all nations.
Battistel praised Taiwan’s programs to foster young people and said that the 30 or so Taiwanese students visiting France as part of the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative attended Viva Technology and the aviation center in Toulouse, as well as visiting UN ocean agencies.
She said she remains committed to supporting Taiwan’s participation in the WHO to give the nation the opportunity to share its experience in the field of public health.
It is Battistel’s fourth visit to Taiwan and her first as chairwoman of the Taiwan Friendship Group.
Her delegation has held productive talks with ministers and officials since arriving on Sunday for a six-day visit, gaining insights into key cooperation areas, including energy, semiconductors, and youth and cultural exchanges, she said.
Four other members of the National Assembly attended the meeting: Committee on Foreign Affairs Deputy Chairwoman Laetitia Saint-Paul, Eric Martineau, Marie-Jose Allemand and Claudia Rouaux.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS