A legislative friendship group was yesterday established at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei to build closer ties with ASEAN members, and to promote regional peace, economic development and bilateral trade.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀), who heads the Taiwan-ASEAN Parliamentary Friendship Association, told a ceremony announcing the association’s establishment that the group would seek to enhance exchanges with the 10 ASEAN member states of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Many new immigrant spouses in Taiwan come from ASEAN member states and the group hopes to work closely with them to promote ties, Chen said.
About 30 lawmakers across party lines have joined the association, he added.
Speaking at the ceremony, Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) expressed the hope that a legislative delegation would visit ASEAN members as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Tung Chen-yuan (童振源), who also attended the ceremony, said that most overseas Taiwanese businesses have chosen to conduct business in ASEAN member states, with at least 600,000 businesspeople and their family members based in those countries.
The New Southbound Policy launched by the government in May 2015 to enhance ties with ASEAN, as well as other countries in the region, has built a solid foundation for bilateral ties and raised relations to the next level, he added.
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