President Daniel K.Y. Han: “We pledge to further deepen the cordial relations between Taiwan and Brazil.”

On the morning of Mach 21, President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan received the Delegation from the Taiwan Friendship Group of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies led by Chairperson Geraldo Junio do Amaral.  The President was accompanied by Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung, who is also the President of Taiwan-Latin America Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, Legislators Ma Wen-chun and Wu Chun-cheng, International Affairs Department Director Kalvin C.F. Lin, Vice Foreign Minister Remus Chen Li-kuo, Director-General Cheng Li-cheng of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, and Director-General on Home Assignment Wang Chi-wen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

President Han first extended a sincere welcome to the delegation, noting that this was the first visiting delegation from Latin America since he assumed office. Brazil has a vast territory, a fortune of resources, rich cultural heritage, and has soccer for its most popular sport. It is one of the lands favored by God and also a desirable place to visit. President Han mentioned that Taiwanese, just like Brazilians, are also warm and friendly, and expressed hope that Chairperson Amaral and the delegation could witness Taiwan’s strengths during their visit, which could further consolidate the bilateral relations between Taiwan and Brazil.

In his remarks, Chairperson Amaral first extended his gratitude for President Han’s warm welcome, and stated that he looks forward to in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s local culture and customs. Chairperson Amaral pointed out that Brazil’s domestic politics underwent a great shift in 2016, and there has been political instability since, caused by political party opposition due to ideological difference. That being the case, there have been young politicians coming out in recent years; it is hoped that youth participation could bring new perspectives and fresh ideas to politics and overcome the disharmony among parties in Brazil. Chairperson Amaral continued to acknowledge that during this visit to Taiwan, he witnessed with his own eyes the rapid development of our economy and the level of freedom that people enjoy, which is beyond imagination. He believes that Taiwan’s experience in various fields is worth learning from. Chairperson Amaral also mentioned that since the launch of the Taiwan Friendship Group of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies in 2023, the number of members has reached 212, accounting for nearly half of the seats in the Chamber, and the number is still rising. Chairperson Amaral also noted that their delegation had been under pressure from China when they decided to make the overseas visit, but they still made the trip as planned, taking a stand with courage to support Taiwan for defending values including freedom and democracy. The members of the delegation will continue this effort in the Brazilian Parliament to maintain and add to the ties with Taiwan. In this regard, President Han expressed his gratitude to Chairperson Amaral for the unwavering friendship and support for Taiwan.

President Han went on to introduce the attending legislators from the three party caucuses, whose attendance showed a cross-party dedication to the strengthening of Taiwan-Brazil relations. President Han also specifically touched on the support from the Brazil Parliament for Taiwan’s participation in the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for three consecutive years, and he expressed hope that there could be continuous backing for our presence in an array of major international organizations and regional economic agreements such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). President Han continued to use the story of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, where Taiwan is like the small ring in the story for summoning the mighty genie; in other words, in the face of a powerful nation like China, Taiwan’s charm and influence are far-reaching despite its small country size; with 50 million overseas Chinese brought together, there can be big differences made. It is hoped that Chairperson Amaral could pass on the charm of Taiwan to the Parliament and people in Brazil, so that they learn that Taiwan could be a true good friend.

Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung followed by adding that he not only serves as the President of Taiwan-Latin America Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, but has great affection for Brazil due to personal reasons. He wished that the visiting delegation could see the kindness of Taiwanese people, that the ties between Taiwan and Brazil become closer, and that Brazil could have rebound in its economic growth in the near future. Legislator Ma Wen-chun also delivered her warm welcome to the visiting delegation and shared that despite the political differences among parties in the Legislative Yuan, they still take the same stand when it comes to issues related to national interests. It is hoped that through legislative diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges, the partnerships between Taiwan and Brazil could be strengthened and that Chairperson Amaral will continue to voice support for Taiwan’s international participation. Legislator Wu Chun-cheng also expressed that Taiwan and Brazil share a lot in common, such as the magnificent mountains and rivers as well as the people of hospitality, romance, and integrity. Among the Chinese community in the world, Taiwanese people are considered the most trustworthy. It is hoped that Taiwan and Brazil could have more frequent economic and trade exchanges, and there could be opportunities for legislative delegations to visit Brazil for in-depth interactions.

Brazilian Federal Representative Fernanda Eneida Pessoa Caracas de Souza shared that Chairperson Amaral spares no effort in the launch of the Taiwan Friendship Group at their Chamber of Deputies, which contributed enormously to take the Taiwan-Brazil relations to new heights. Although Brazil covers a large area, public security has always been a concern for both the ruling and opposition parties. During the visit to Taiwan, the delegation saw that Taiwan enjoys rule of law and order, high level of educational attainment and literacy rates, and great gender equality competence. These are all good examples from which Brazil could learn. It is hoped that in the future, Taiwan and Brazil could engage in more sharing of experiences in education programs, science and technology, and the promotion of gender equality. Judge of the Superior Labor Court Ives Gandra da Silva Martins Filho also shared that during this visit, they saw two advantages that Taiwan features. One is that Taiwan stands as a world model for human rights practices, and the other is its world’s leading position in the development of high-tech industries. The members of the visiting delegation showed their commitment to defending democracy and human rights, as these are the universal values, and expressed their support for maintaining the peace and stability at the Taiwan Strait, with continuous dedication to deepening the relations between Brazil and Taiwan.

The event concluded after 1 hour in warmth and joy, with group photos taken and the exchange of tokens of appreciation.