At 4 p.m. on March 19, Legislative Yuan President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜) met with a seven-member delegation from the Finland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by its Chair, Mats Löfström. President Han was accompanied by DPP Legislator and Chair of the Taiwan-Nordic Countries and Baltic States Parliamentary Friendship Association, Dr. Chiu Chih-wei; KMT Legislator Adm. Chen Yeong-Kang; Director Lauri Raunio of the Finland Trade Center; Deputy Foreign Minister Amb. François Chihchung Wu; and Ambassador Freddy Lim of the Taipei Representative Office in Finland.
President Han opened the meeting by extending a sincere welcome to the guests. He praised Finland for being the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive year, according to the United Nations’ newly released World Happiness Report 2026, and noted that the country is also world-renowned for its achievements in high-tech and education. President Han further expressed his sincere admiration for Finland’s long-standing resilience and remarkable national strength in the face of pressure from major powers.
In terms of trade and economic cooperation, President Han noted that Taiwan-Finland trade volume grew by 2.14 times from 2024 to 2025, with bilateral economic and trade exchanges expected to continue expanding. He hoped Chair Löfström and the delegation members would continue facilitating the signing of the Taiwan-Finland Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (ADTA) to improve the bilateral investment environment. President Han also expressed hope that the parliamentarians in attendance could proactively help promote direct flights between the two countries, thereby assisting the growth of bilateral trade, tourism, and education.
President Han further mentioned that Taiwan and Finland are both democratic countries and that both have unicameral legislatures. He added that the Legislative Yuan currently has three party caucuses, with the KMT, the DPP, and the TPP ranking first, second, and third respectively by number of seats. He mentioned that the TPP, which holds eight seats, constitutes a key minority, forming a scalene triangle in the Legislative Yuan. He said that each party engages in strategic maneuvering during the voting on major bills and that this dynamic fully demonstrates the diversity and resilience of Taiwan’s democracy.
President Han ended his remarks by emphasizing Taiwan’s vitality despite its limited land mass, noting that its industrial output accounts for nearly 3% of the global total. He noted that Taiwan is known not only for its semiconductor industry, but that its healthcare and traditional industries are also globally competitive, with many hidden champions. He sincerely invited the Finnish guests to explore Taiwan in depth and discover its diverse appeal beyond technology.
In response, Chair Löfström thanked President Han and the legislators for their warm reception. He said that during the visit, he had witnessed the frequent people-to-people and commercial exchanges between Taiwan and Finland. He pointed out that Taiwan has signed taxation agreements with Sweden and Denmark, and that Finland also looked forward to accelerating the signing of the ADTA to create a mutually beneficial environment for businesses on both sides. He further mentioned the signing of the Air Services Agreement (ASA) between Taiwan and Finland last year, adding that during this visit, he proactively met with Taiwanese airlines to seek the launch of direct flights and stronger tourism cooperation.
Chair Löfström emphasized that Taiwan-Finland relations are built on the foundation of shared values such as democracy, freedom, rule of law, and human rights. Although Taiwan has globally leading artificial intelligence and semiconductor technologies, he said, technology can never replace person-to-person communication and face-to-face interactions. He said that the delegation would visit the Finland International School in the southern city of Kaohsiung the next day and attend the Megaport Festival to support Finnish singers, strengthening Taiwan-Finland relations through tangible actions.
Legislator Chiu expressed that as Chair of the Taiwan-Nordic Countries and Baltic States Parliamentary Friendship Association, he has visited the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi many times, leaving him with a lasting impression. He mentioned that Taiwan sees around 19 million outbound tourist trips each year, and the introduction of direct Finnair flights to Taipei would undoubtedly boost tourism. In addition, as Convener of the Economics Committee, Legislator Chiu promised to make great efforts to bring direct flights to reality and deepen bilateral cooperation in trade and technology. He expressed hope to lead a delegation to Finland to study its educational and social systems and bring the successful experience of the “happy nation” back to Taiwan.
Legislator Chen noted that The Economist once described Taiwan as the most dangerous place on earth in 2021. However, in the years that followed, he said, the world has seen continuous turmoil, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, conflicts in the Middle East, and intensified regional tensions, reflecting mounting global security challenges. In comparison, Taiwan has continued to strengthen its defense capabilities and social resilience, standing as a secure and stable partner overall. He also stressed that Taiwan-Finland cooperation should focus on education and youth talent cultivation, encouraging bilateral exchange and learning among younger generations while deepening cooperation in technology, especially in critical sectors such as the semiconductor industry. Legislator Chen hoped that the visit will be an opportunity to expand diverse areas of cooperation and that both sides will join hands in shaping a closer partnership.
Subsequently, both sides exchanged extensive views on Taiwan-Finland direct tourism flights, trade and industrial cooperation, as well as security and resilience. The meeting lasted approximately 60 minutes and was conducted in a warm and cordial atmosphere. (2026/03/19)
