Former President of the Republic of China, Tsai Ing-wen, concluded her European visit and returned to Taiwan, expressing, “We brought the voices of the Taiwanese people to Europe, showcasing the values of democracy and freedom in Taiwan and sharing Taiwan’s perspective with the world, pledging our determination to safeguard regional peace and stability.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China issued a press release stating that former President Tsai Ing-wen visited Europe from May 10th to 19th, starting her trip in Lithuania before attending the Copenhagen Democracy Summit in Denmark. During her visit to Europe, former President Tsai delivered speeches on international platforms and met with European leaders and friends from various sectors, helping to enhance Taiwan’s visibility and deepen the Taiwan-Europe democratic partnership.
Tsai Ing-wen also attended a welcome reception hosted by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation (AoD) and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), where politicians from various European countries specially came to pay tribute to the former president. At the reception, she interacted and conversed with friends including Morten Dahlin, Danish Minister for Rural Affairs and Nordic Cooperation, Engin Eroglu, Head of the European Parliament’s China Relations Delegation, and Karsten Hønge, Co-Chair of the Danish IPAC.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China emphasized that Taiwan, Lithuania, and Denmark are important partners who share the values of peace and demonstrate through innovation that small countries can also be great examples. Building upon existing cooperation, the ministry will continue to deepen bilateral exchanges in areas such as trade, semiconductors, and green energy technology, while expanding cooperation areas to collectively strengthen democratic resilience.
Following her visits to Lithuania and Denmark, Tsai Ing-wen continued her journey to the United Kingdom. On her first day of the visit on May 15th, she visited the UK Parliament in response to an invitation from the Co-Chairs of the Taiwan All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), Members of Parliament Sarah Champion and Lord Rogan, and received a warm welcome from cross-party members.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China mentioned that Taiwan-UK relations have made significant progress in recent years, with the UK signing the Enhanced Trade Partnership Agreement (ETP) with the Republic of China in 2023, becoming the first European country to establish an institutionalized economic and trade framework with Taiwan. Additionally, the UK is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner in Europe, the third largest source of investment, and the fifth largest destination for Taiwanese youth studying abroad, with close cooperation in the fields of technology innovation, renewable energy, and social resilience.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that Taiwan will work together with like-minded partners such as the UK to promote democratic resilience and prosperity, and hopes that the UK will continue to demonstrate its security commitment to the Indo-Pacific region through concrete actions like deploying naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait.
On the 21st, Tsai Ing-wen posted on Facebook saying, “Fellow countrymen, she has concluded her European visit and returned to Taiwan. From Lithuania, Denmark to the UK, we brought the voices of the Taiwanese people to Europe, showcasing the values of democracy and freedom in Taiwan, and sharing Taiwan’s perspective with the world, pledging our determination to safeguard regional peace and stability.”
Tsai Ing-wen mentioned, “While in the UK, stand-up comedian Huang Guanwen told me that in his self-introduction during performances, he always insists on telling the audience ‘I am from Taiwan.’ In recent years, thanks to everyone’s joint efforts, the world has indeed become more aware of Taiwan and knows where Taiwan is.”
Tsai Ing-wen added, “Taiwanese people overseas have found their own place in various industries. In the future, we must continue to make Taiwan visible to the world and rely on everyone’s efforts. The country belongs to everyone, and the future of Taiwan faces many challenges. Although our situation is difficult, Taiwanese people are brave and smart. In tougher environments, we can gather strength and move forward. Let’s cheer each other on together!”