President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lai Ching-te met with the visiting delegation led by Gian Marco Centinaio, Vice President of the Senate of Italy (translated as “Taiyi Italy”) today (1st). Centinaio emphasized the importance of continuing to work together and achieve more results in cooperation, reaffirming Italy’s friendship with Taiwan. Lai stated that in the face of the ongoing expansion of authoritarianism, democratic countries should support each other to safeguard democracy and peace, hoping for deeper economic, trade, and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and Italy.
Centinaio, Vice President of the Senate of Italy, led a delegation to Taiwan on August 31, consisting of as many as 10 Italian parliamentarians, making it the largest and most bipartisan delegation sent by the Italian parliament to Taiwan to date.
In his speech this afternoon, President Lai Ching-te mentioned that this was the fifth visit to Taiwan by his old friend, Vice President Centinaio. Two years ago, Centinaio and Senator Daniela Ternullo specially came to Taiwan to attend his and Vice President Hsiao Mei-chin’s inauguration ceremony. President Lai expressed his pleasure at meeting again today and thanked the bipartisan group of Italian parliamentarians who formed the largest delegation sent by the Italian parliament to Taiwan over the years, demonstrating strong support for Taiwan from the Italian parliament.
During his address, Centinaio noted that this delegation, both in terms of numbers and composition, was the most significant Italian delegation to visit Taiwan in recent years, including members from both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, representing different political parties and regions across northern, central, and southern Italy. He expressed the delegation’s honor in being able to represent the country comprehensively in Taiwan.
Centinaio pointed out that beyond the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Italy, “democracy” is a fundamental principle for both countries, as both seek to promote and safeguard the interests of their people through their interactions.
He continued by emphasizing that the members of the delegation are actively engaged in parliamentary work, including the passage of the “Foreign Cultural Artifacts Exhibition Exemption Act.” They have long advocated for the Taiwan-Italy relationship, showing that many members of the Italian parliament believe in the friendship with Taiwan and hold an important belief in assisting Taiwan and maintaining the current international order, which is crucial for upholding global democracy.
“To achieve our common goals, it is crucial to continue promoting parliamentary and civil exchanges,” Centinaio stated. He highlighted the establishment of an office in Milan by Taiwan to allow more Italian people to learn about Taiwan, contributing to their joint mission of showcasing democratic values globally and further enhancing economic, trade, and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and Italy. He reiterated once again that Italy stands with Taiwan as a friend.
President Lai Ching-te pointed out during his speech that the support shown by the delegation is evident in various actions, such as in cultural exchanges. The “Foreign Cultural Artifacts Exhibition Exemption Act,” which has been worked on through five parliamentary terms and more than twenty years of effort, has been passed by both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Italy this year. This legislation will provide legal protection for the future exhibition of precious cultural artifacts from Taiwan in Italy.
Regarding international affairs, President Lai noted that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies released a report on the Indo-Pacific region last year, emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Several senators of the Italian Senate have also consistently supported Taiwan’s international participation while challenging China’s distortion of the UN Resolution 2758. President Lai expressed his deepest gratitude once again to the Italian parliament, Vice President Centinaio, and the Friends of Taiwan Association for their long-standing support and advocacy for Taiwan.
In the face of the continuing expansion of authoritarianism, President Lai emphasized that only through mutual support among democratic countries can democracy and peace be safeguarded. During Italy’s presidency of the G7 in 2024, Italy, for the first time, dispatched the aircraft carrier “Cavour” to participate in joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, demonstrating its determination to maintain peace and stability in the region. He expressed Taiwan’s commitment to continuing to cooperate with Italy and other like-minded partners to uphold the rules-based international order and further expand economic, trade, and industrial cooperation.
Regarding the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Italy, President Lai mentioned that Italy is currently Taiwan’s fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union, with the two sides having highly complementary industries. Italy excels in areas such as automobiles, design, and high-end materials, while Taiwan possesses complete industry clusters in semiconductors, information and communication technology, and electronic manufacturing. In June of this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu led a trade delegation to Milan to further expand opportunities for industrial cooperation between Taiwan and Italy.
President Lai expressed his hope that with the support of the visiting dignitaries, the friendship accumulated between Taiwan and Italy will translate into more concrete achievements, fostering further prosperity and development for both sides. He reiterated the importance of continued cooperation to create a new chapter in the Taiwan-Italy partnership.