Taiwan would continue to deepen its ties with Poland and safeguard democracy and freedom together, President William Lai (賴清德) said today when meeting with a delegation led by Polish Senate Deputy Marshal Michal Kaminski.
Pursuing democracy and freedom, the two countries both resisted autocracy and are also facing challenges brought on by the expansion of authoritarianism, Lai said.
As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is committed to maintaining regional peace and stability, he added.
Photo: CNA
This is the first time a Polish delegation has visited Taiwan since Poland held a parliamentary election in October last year, Lai said, adding that it is meaningful that six Polish lawmakers of the cross-party Polish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Group joined the group.
Kaminski has long supported a democratic Taiwan, and played a major role in the Polish Senate’s passing of a bill that supported Taiwan’s attempt to participate in the WHO in 2022, Lai said.
With the help of Polish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Group chairman Krzysztof Truskolaski, the group has issued a declaration supporting Taiwan’s international participation in the past two years, Lai added.
Kaminski said this visit symbolized the uniting of lawmakers democratically elected by the public in the two countries, which is the most important thing the two have in common.
“Solidarność,” meaning unity, is a beautiful word in Polish and a gift to the world, he said.
The delegation was invited to a banquet by National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday night, the council said in a news release.
Issues regarding the Indo-Pacific region, Europe, the Ukraine war, bilateral cooperation between Poland and Taiwan, and authoritarian expansion were discussed, the council said.
Taiwan and Poland are like-minded allies in the frontline of authoritarian expansion, Wu said.
Facing a changing international situation, the two countries should continue to work together to contribute to international peace and stability.
Truskolaski said the Polish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Group consists of 110 lawmakers from different political parties who support Taiwan.
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