Legislative Yuan President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜) and a cross-party delegation of legislators, accompanied by Taiwan’s Representative to France, Hao Pei-Chih, visited the French Senate on the morning of May 12 for exchanges. On the previous evening, Senator Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Chair of the France-Taiwan Friendship Group in the Senate, hosted a Seine River dinner cruise in honor of the delegation and invited several senators to attend. In a warm atmosphere, with the riverside scenery and views of Paris as a backdrop, the two sides began their dialogue.
The exchanges on May 12 began with a roundtable discussion between the delegation and 12 senators on the outlook for 2030, with a focus on strengthening energy and technology resilience. Senators in attendance included First Vice-President of the Senate Didier Mandelli, who had recently visited Taiwan, and Vice-President Loïc Hervé, as well as Olivier Cadic, Vice-President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces, and Else Joseph, Vice-Chair of the France-Taiwan Friendship Group, among others.
At the start of the roundtable, Chair Lemoyne welcomed the delegation on behalf of the senators present. He noted that the France-Taiwan Friendship Group in the Senate currently has 64 members, making it one of the largest friendship groups in the Senate. He added that the group will continue working hand in hand to further deepen Taiwan-France relations.
President Han thanked Chair Lemoyne for personally extending the invitation for this visit. He noted that although Taiwan and France do not have formal diplomatic relations, the two sides maintain frequent exchanges and share a deep and cherished friendship. The Legislative Yuan’s Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association currently has 35 members, accounting for one-third of all legislators, which demonstrates the importance the Legislative Yuan attaches to Taiwan-France relations. President Han expressed hope that the friendship between Taiwan and France will continue to flow as steadily and perennially as the waters of the Seine River, and that both sides can further promote bilateral trade, economic exchanges, and cooperation.
DPP Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, President of the Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, said that this was her fourth official visit to France and that she deeply values the friendship between Taiwan and France. She noted that she had previously worked to promote tariff reductions on champagne and facilitate investment in France by a major solid-state battery manufacturer from Taoyuan. Legislator Lin further emphasized Taiwan’s important strategic position and expressed sincere hope that, in addition to economic cooperation, the two countries can also strengthen exchanges in the defense industry supply chain.
The two sides then continued their discussion on issues including recent global geopolitics, security across the Taiwan Strait, non-red supply chains, and energy security. In response to questions from the senators, legislators from the delegation shared their respective views on Taiwan’s response to energy crises, ways to enhance Taiwan’s energy resilience, the establishment of non-red supply chains, and the development of the drone industry. They also exchanged in-depth views on relevant experiences and practical approaches. Legislators from all political parties emphasized that safeguarding democracy and freedom is the greatest consensus within the Legislative Yuan. The exchange lasted approximately one hour and featured candid and lively discussions.
Following the roundtable, the delegation, guided by Philippe Péjo, Executive Secretary of the France-Taiwan Friendship Group, toured the historic French Senate. Located in the Luxembourg Palace, which once served as a royal palace of France, the Senate welcomed the delegation to historic sites such as the chamber and library, both rich in history and cultural heritage, and showcased France’s enduring democratic traditions.
After the visit, the delegation attended a welcome luncheon arranged by the France-Taiwan Friendship Group. A total of 23 senators attended the luncheon, where both sides continued their dialogue in a warm atmosphere and further deepened their friendship. The delegation expressed its sincere gratitude to the Senate for its thoughtful arrangements, which made the visit and exchanges both rich and deeply meaningful, laying an even more solid foundation for the continued deepening of Taiwan-France relations. The luncheon lasted two hours and concluded on a positive note, with both sides exchanging commemorative gifts symbolizing the distinctive characteristics of Taiwan and France. This marked a memorable conclusion to the delegation’s exchanges with the French Senate. (2026/05/13)
