Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of May 19, President Tsai Ing-wen met with the United Kingdom Trade Envoy to Taiwan and a delegation from the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to attend the inauguration of the 16th-term president and vice president. In remarks, President Tsai thanked the UK for continuing to increase its support for Taiwan in the international arena. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to work with the UK and other democratic partners to maintain regional peace and stability and promote progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. She also said that she looks forward to Taiwan-UK relations continuing to advance with the support of British parliamentarians.

A translation of President Tsai’s remarks follows:

I am pleased to once again meet with our British friends on the final day of my presidency. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to express sincere appreciation for your efforts to promote Taiwan-UK relations over the years.

In recent times, the UK has continued to increase its support for Taiwan in the international arena. For example, the joint statements released after this year’s Australia-UK ministerial consultations and G7 foreign ministers’ meeting both underlined the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and supported Taiwan’s international participation.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lord Rogan, co-chair of the APPG, for consolidating support for Taiwan in the UK parliament. Your efforts have deepened our bonds of friendship and expanded our cooperation. Lord Faulkner, UK trade envoy to Taiwan, was a staunch advocate of the Enhanced Trade Partnership Arrangement, which Taiwan and the UK signed last year. We are now striving to develop areas of mutual interest, with a focus on cooperation in investment, digital trade, renewable energy, and achieving net-zero emissions.

Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to work with the UK and other democratic partners to maintain regional peace and stability and to promote progress and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. After the United Kingdom officially accedes to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), we hope you will support Taiwan’s application to join this trade bloc. This will enable Taiwan to make greater contributions to global trade and supply chain resilience together with a wider group of partners. 

In closing, I thank you once again for attending the inauguration of the next administration. With your support, I look forward to Taiwan-UK relations continuing to advance.

Lord Rogan then delivered remarks and said that it was an honor to meet with President Tsai on the last day of her presidency. He emphasized that Taiwan has the utmost support from British parliamentarians of all parties and noted that the British-Taiwanese APPG is one of the largest such groups in the UK parliament. He also stated that the APPG would continue to support Taiwan under its new president. 

Lord Rogan said that as President Tsai moves into her new career, whatever it’s going to be, he trusts that it will enable her to visit the UK, and the members of the APPG would welcome her. He then thanked President Tsai for all she has done for the people of Taiwan. 

Lord Faulkner then delivered remarks, thanking President Tsai for everything she has done in her eight years as president to promote the friendship between the people of Taiwan and the UK. He also recalled seeing President Tsai last September for trade talks in his role as trade envoy to Taiwan. 

Lord Faulkner said that the standing of Taiwan, among British parliamentarians in particular, has grown enormously during President Tsai’s eight years in office due to the efforts that she made to promote links between the UK and Taiwan. Mentioning President Tsai’s links with London and the London School of Economics (LSE), Lord Faulkner expressed hope that LSE will to be able to honor her in their way. He said that he and the members of the delegation were sad to see President Tsai’s term come to an end, but acknowledged that that is how the democratic system works. He then said that they are very grateful for what President Tsai has done and that he hopes they remain good friends in the future. 

Also in attendance at the meeting were Member of the House of Lords Baroness D’Souza and Member of the House of Commons Sarah Champion. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by British Office Taipei Representative John Dennis.