A delegation of lawmakers led by Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) departed for a European tour yesterday, during which they are to visit their counterparts in the Czech Republic, the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The delegation is scheduled to visit the European countries’ parliaments and think tanks, as well as Taiwanese businesses, to further deepen bilateral ties, according to a statement from Chiang’s office.
The statement did not specify which European stops would come first or when the delegation is expected to return to Taiwan.
Photo: Taipei Times
Chiang is expected to meet with several European parliamentarians, including John McGuinness, deputy speaker of the Dail Eireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament, and Richard Faulkner, member of the British House of Lords.
Through parliamentary diplomacy visits, Chiang said he hoped that Taiwan could maintain positive interactions, strengthen bilateral ties, and advance cooperation in trade, economics, and cultural exchanges.
During the stop in the Czech Republic, Chiang is to attend the opening of an exhibition featuring items from Taiwan’s National Palace Museum’s (NPM) treasures collection.
The “100 Treasures, 100 Stories: Treasures from the National Palace Museum” exhibition is to run from Thursday to Dec. 31 at the National Museum in Prague.
Since the NPM and the National Museum in Prague established sister ties in September 2022, exchanges between the two have grown increasingly close, and the upcoming exhibition is a clear example of that, Chiang said.
He praised the parties on both sides for making the exhibition possible, including the Czech parliament, which also offered its support.
Chiang said plans for organizing the event were discussed when he and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) met with the head of the Czech parliamentary friendship group during his visit to the country in July last year.
The delegation includes Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) of the KMT, Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀寶) of the Democratic Progressive Party and Lin Yi-chun (林憶君) of the Taiwan People’s Party, the statement said.
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