Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday visited the UK parliament and met with House of Commons Speaker Lindsey Hoyle on the first day of her trip there.
Tsai traveled to the UK at the invitation of the British parliament, Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Champion, who heads the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group, told the Central News Agency.
Citing the former president’s itinerary, she said that Tsai was scheduled to confer with Hoyle later in the day.
Photo: CNA
Tsai would meet British politicians and academics and Taiwanese professionals working in the UK during the multi-day visit, her office said in a previous statement.
Tsai at 10am was seen arriving at the Palace of Westminster by car and speaking with House of Lords Deputy Speaker Dennis Rogan, a coleader of the parliamentary group, before entering the building.
She was expected to attend a welcome event with MPs at Westminster and then spectate on the proceedings of the UK parliament from the sidelines.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan’s existence and the resolute will of its people are a key deterrent to China’s expansionist ambitions, Tsai told a gathering at the UK parliament.
Taiwan is not only a bastion of democracy, but also a cornerstone for maintaining regional peace and stability, she said, vowing that Taiwan would continue to contribute to these goals.
Champion told reporters in an impromptu news conference that Taiwan is a beacon of democracy and that democratic nations would become a force if united in purpose.
The group looks forward to deepening the bonds between Taiwan and the UK, she added.
Asked about reports that the Labour Party-led government would soon unveil a report examining the UK’s relationship with China, Champion said she hopes the report would touch on rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait, adding that London has been paying rapt attention to the unfolding situation.
The UK should do more to reduce tensions between Taiwan and China, she said.
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