President Tsai receives New Zealand parliamentary delegation

2024/04/18

President Tsai Ing-wen received a delegation from New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan at the Presidential Office April 16 in Taipei City, pledging to expand bilateral cooperation in areas such as clean energy, digital economy and Indigenous affairs.
 
The delegation was led by Joseph Mooney, chair of the Social Services and Community Select Committee, and comprises the group’s co-chair Ingrid Leary, as well as MPs Sam Uffindell, Andy Foster, Todd Stephenson and Jenny Salesa.
 
According to Tsai, trade and economic ties between Taiwan and New Zealand have become very close in recent years, citing the increasing popularity of New Zealand’s agricultural products in Taiwan, as well as the NZ government’s approval last week for pineapples exports from Taiwan.
 
Tsai said due to the geopolitical and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific, members of the democratic world need to work in unity to ensure regional peace and stability. The president thanked Mooney and Leary for urging the New Zealand government to be mindful of the importance of cross-strait security for New Zealand’s economic and national security.
 
In response, Mooney said Taiwan and New Zealand share the same democratic values and commitment to global peace and prosperity. The group was deeply impressed by Taiwan’s achievements in digital and information communication technology, seen during their visit to the Hsinchu Science Park, he said, adding he expects both sides will expand cooperation in areas such as geothermal energy.
 
Leary offered condolences for the loss of life and injuries caused by the earthquake that hit eastern Taiwan earlier this month. Despite their geographic distance, the two sides maintain a deep partnership, she said, adding that she will support Taiwan’s global participation, as she did during the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China event held in Washington D.C.


Source: Noticias de Taiwan (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)