Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of May 26, President Lai Ching-te met with a cross-party delegation from the German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group. In remarks, President Lai thanked the German government and Bundestag for valuing and supporting Taiwan, empowering Taiwan to work with even more partners and contribute to global development. The president stated that he looks forward to Taiwan and Germany continuing to deepen partnerships in areas such as cybersecurity, the defense industry, disaster prevention and relief, and societal resilience. He expressed confidence that both sides can build on their experiences to strengthen democratic resilience, safeguard democratic values and the international order, and promote prosperity and development in both countries.

A translation of President Lai's remarks follows:

I am delighted to meet with German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Till Steffen and Bundestag Members Klaus-Peter Willsch and Rainer Kraft again today. I also want to warmly welcome Vice Chairs Markus Reichel and Mandy Eißing on their first visit to Taiwan. This is also the first time that the German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group of the 21st Bundestag is visiting Taiwan, and having a cross-party delegation present makes it all the more meaningful. Today's guests are all good friends who attach great importance to Taiwan. In particular, Chairman Steffen is already on his second visit since February of this year, while Bundestag Member Willsch served as chairman of the group for 15 years and attended my and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao's inauguration ceremony two years ago. I am deeply grateful to our guests for taking action to demonstrate firm support for a democratic Taiwan.

Taiwan and Germany both cherish the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for the rule of law. In the face of rapidly changing global dynamics, we understand that it is only through cooperation with democratic partners that we can uphold the rules-based international order. I would like to thank the German government and Bundestag for valuing and supporting Taiwan. In September two years ago, German naval vessels transited through the Taiwan Strait for the first time in 22 years, with Germany emphasizing that the Taiwan Strait constitutes international waters, and freedom of navigation must be protected. The German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group has repeatedly voiced support for Taiwan's international participation, empowering Taiwan to work with even more partners and contribute to global development.

In recent years, Taiwan and Germany have continued to deepen ties based on our shared democratic values, and have also expanded exchanges in areas such as the economy, trade, and technology. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's investment in a fab in Dresden, in particular, marks an important milestone in Taiwan-Germany industrial cooperation. Not only has this promoted industrial exchanges between Taiwan and Europe, but it has also further enhanced Taiwan and Germany's contributions to global democratic supply chain resilience. With the support of our guests, I look forward to Taiwan and Germany deepening our partnerships in areas such as cybersecurity, the defense industry, disaster prevention and relief, and societal resilience. I am confident that we can build on our experiences to strengthen democratic resilience.

In closing, I would once again like to welcome our guests to Taiwan. I trust this visit will help us identify even more opportunities for cooperation. I look forward to Taiwan and Germany working together to safeguard democratic values and the international order, and promote prosperity and development in both our countries.

Chairman Steffen then delivered remarks, stating that the delegation members hail from different regions and political parties in Germany, fully demonstrating cross-party support for Taiwan. He pointed out that the constituencies represented by the delegation members have diverse ties with Taiwan, adding that the number of staff of the German Institute Taipei has increased, which underscores the growing closeness of exchanges between the two countries.

Chairman Steffen noted that both the German government and Bundestag have maintained their position on Taiwan. He stated that China sometimes expresses opinions regarding exchanges with Taiwan, as China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did the previous day regarding this visit. In response, he expressed directly that exchanges between democracies are normal, and interference by third parties will not be accepted.

Speaking about President Lai's recent visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini, Chairman Steffen stated that this is a normal exchange between countries that maintain diplomatic relations, and China's attempts to interfere have drawn significant international attention. He emphasized that relations between Germany and Taiwan have withstood the test of time and will not change in any way. However, considering that the global landscape is continuously evolving, he said, the two countries should further strengthen bilateral exchanges and jointly address threats posed by authoritarian regimes.

Chairman Steffen said that Taiwan and Germany face similar challenges when it comes to expanding their global reach, industrial resilience, national defense, and civil defense. He emphasized that the two sides share many commonalities, providing great opportunities to learn from each other. He expressed hope that the two countries will launch new cooperative endeavors across a wide range of fields.

The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Director General of the German Institute Taipei Karsten Tietz.