A French parliamentary delegation led by Francois de Rugy, chairman of the French National Assembly’s France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, left late on Sunday following a five-day visit to Taiwan.
The six-member delegation, which also included French lawmakers Jean-Luc Reitzer, Frederique Dumas, Jean Francois Mbaye, Aina Kuric and Jean-Louis Bricout, left Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on an EVA Air flight at 11:50pm.
During their stay in Taiwan, the delegation met with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other senior government officials to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
De Rugy, a former president of the French National Assembly and a long-time supporter of Taiwan, was on Friday presented with a Medal of Honor for Parliamentary Diplomacy by Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) to thank the lawmaker for promoting closer Taiwan-France exchanges over many years.
At a media event on Friday, De Rugy reiterated Paris’ stance opposing any acts of intimidation that jeopardize the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan is in a particularly difficult position, facing threats from China at a time when Washington and Beijing are competing for influence in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.
It is therefore important that democracies support each other, and that stability and security is maintained in the Strait, De Rugy said.
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