Vice President Vincent C. Siew on the morning of July 14 at the Presidential Building met with Deputy Chairman of the Polish Parliament's Polish-Taiwan Friendship Group Ms. Hanna Zdanowska. The vice president extended a warm welcome to Ms. Zdanowska and members of her delegation and thanked them for making the lengthy journey to Taiwan.
Vice President Siew said that while Taiwan and Poland do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, the two countries do have close substantive relations. In recent years, bilateral trade, cultural exchanges and visits by officials from one country to the other have gradually increased. The vice president attributed these accomplishments to the efforts made by the Polish Parliament's Polish-Taiwan Friendship Group. The vice president acknowledged and expressed his appreciation for the work carried out by the friendship group. He added that he hopes Taiwan and Poland can further strengthen exchanges and cooperative relations in the future.
In addition to thanking Vice President Siew for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with the delegation, Ms. Zdanowska also congratulated President Ma Ying-jeou and Vice President Siew for winning the presidential election. She added that while Poland is quite a distance away from Taiwan, it still pays attention to developments on Taiwan and the state of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. She said Poland hopes to see improved relations and the development of friendship between the two sides in the wake of Taiwan's decision to allow Mainland Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan. Ms. Zdanowska added that Poland hopes to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with Taiwan in the areas of culture, education and high technology, as well as attract investment from Taiwan companies, thereby establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
Ms. Zdanowska and other Polish Members of Parliament Joanna Senyszyn, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Bozenna Bukiewicz and Leszek Deptula were accompanied to the Presidential Building in the morning to meet with Vice President Siew by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin and Warsaw Trade Office in Taipei Chief Representative Wsiewolod Strazewski.