François de Rugy, chairperson of France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, led a multi-party assembly delegation to visit Taiwan on the 15th.
François de Rugy, the former President of the French National Assembly and the current chairperson of the France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, led 5 cross-party assembly members to visit Taiwan on the 15th. This is also the second important visit from France in three months after the October delegation led by French Senator Alain Richard, chairperson of the French Senate's Taiwan Friendship Group. It also set a record of successive visits by two houses of parliament in a single European country. The two sides will exchange views regarding various political, economic, and cultural topics.
François de Rugy, Chair, France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship, French National Assembly: “As the chairperson of the France-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship, we passed the first Taiwanese Friendship Resolution in the National Assembly to encourage the French government to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations. ”
The French National Assembly passed the resolution with a high number of votes in November to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations. This was initiated by François de Rugy. He has been a long-term friend to Taiwan and has visited Taiwan for the second time since 2016. He will meet with President Tsai, the heads of the Executive Yuan, the Legislative Yuan, and other ministries, and visit cultural and economic sites.
Joanne Ou, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Both sides will discuss the economic recovery after the epidemic, digital transformation, security in the Indo-Pacific region, and extensive exchange of views on political and economic issues to further deepen the relationship between the people of Taiwan and France into a solid, friendly, mutually beneficial, and substantial partnership.”
Cheng Chia-ching, Executive Director, European Union Center in Taiwan: “France is a very special country. It also has its foreign policy direction. So in fact, I think there can be some new sparks in our relationship with France. ”
Scholars analyzed that Europe's support for Taiwan has been increasing recently and Taiwan may take this opportunity to strengthen non-governmental exchanges with France and expand bilateral relations.
法國國民議會前議長，現任友台小組主席戴扈傑，15日率領五位跨黨派議員訪台，這也是繼10月法國參議院友台小組主席李察率團來訪之後，法國在三個月內第二個重要訪團，也創下歐洲單一國家國會兩院先後來訪的紀錄，雙方將進行政經文化等意見交流。
法國國民議會友台小組主席戴扈傑表示:「我做為國民議會友台小組主席，在國民議會通過第一個友台決議文，鼓勵法國政府支持台灣參加國際組織。」
法國國民議會上個月首度以高票通過，支持台灣參與國際組織決議案，這正是由友台小組主席戴扈傑發起，他長期友台，更是繼2016年後二度訪台，將晉見蔡總統，拜會行政院，立法院等部會首長，並參訪文經設施。
外交部發言人歐江安指出:「我們雙方將就疫後的經濟復甦、數位轉型、印太區域的安全等政經議題廣泛的交換意見，進一步深化台灣跟法國人民之間堅實友好，及互惠互利的實質夥伴關係。」
台灣歐盟中心執行長鄭家慶則表示:「法國事實上是非常特殊的國家，它在外交政策上也有自己的步伐，所以我覺得這個跟法國的交往，是可以有一些新的火花。」
法國國會兩院在2021年都通過友台決議，學者分析近來確實歐洲挺台聲量不斷提高，而台灣也許可藉此機會與法國更強化民間交流，拓展雙方關係，未來不只在國會訪團上有更多實質提升關係的可能性。