The Deputy Secretary-General Chang Yu-jung attends Taiwan-Singapore Parliament Members Friendship Caucus inaugural ceremony
At 9:00 a.m. on April 23, on behalf of President Daniel K.Y. Han, Deputy Secretary-General Chang Yu-jung attended the inaugural ceremony of the Taiwan-Singapore Parliament Members Friendship Caucus initiated by Legislator Wang Ting-yu. Distinguished guests in attendance included Legislators Lu Yu-ling, Su Chiao-hui, Lai Hui-yuan, Chang Chi-kai, Huang Jie, and Wang Cheng-hsu. Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang, Executive Director of the Congressional Affairs Office Iván Yueh-jung Lee, and Deputy Director-General of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Chen Chun-chi, as well as Representative Yip Wei Kiat from the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei.
The ceremony commenced with opening remarks from initiator Legislator Wang, followed by a group photo of all the dignitaries present. After the adoption of the organization's articles of association and the election of the president and vice president, Deputy Secretary-General Chang delivered a speech on behalf of the Legislative Yuan. He expressed that Singapore is the most developed economy in Southeast Asia and the financial center of the Asian-Pacific region. Its stable political and social conditions along with efficient and clean governance have earned international acclaim, making it a model for other countries to emulate. Although Taiwan and Singapore do not have formal diplomatic relations, they share a deep historical connection, with high similarities in ethnicity, language, and folk beliefs, leading to close exchanges in social and cultural aspects.
Deputy Secretary-General Chang continued by highlighting the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Singapore. Taiwan is Singapore's fourth-largest trading partner, while Singapore is Taiwan's sixth-largest trading partner. In 2023, Singapore became Taiwan's largest investment destination in ASEAN, demonstrating the mutually beneficial economic relationship between the two countries. He further noted that Singapore operates under a cabinet system, essentially a political system dominated by parliamentarians. Strengthening parliamentary diplomacy between Taiwan and Singapore is crucial for enhancing bilateral relations. The Legislative Yuan looks forward to continuing exchanges and visits with Singaporean political leaders and parliamentarians to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation.
Finally, Deputy Secretary-General Chang expressed gratitude to Legislator Wang for his active efforts in establishing the Friendship Caucus, believing that through this platform, parliamentary diplomacy can complement traditional diplomatic channels, assisting in deepening bilateral relations between Taiwan and Singapore. Should there be administrative matters that require coordination in the future, the Legislative Yuan will certainly do its utmost to assist. The inaugural ceremony continued with congratulatory speeches from Deputy Minister Tien from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Representative Yip from the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei, Legislator Su, and Legislator Lai. The atmosphere was warm and cheerful, and after another group photo of all the distinguished guests, the event concluded satisfactorily after approximately 30 minutes.
At 9:00 a.m. on April 23, on behalf of President Daniel K.Y. Han, Deputy Secretary-General Chang Yu-jung attended the inaugural ceremony of the Taiwan-Singapore Parliament Members Friendship Caucus initiated by Legislator Wang Ting-yu. Distinguished guests in attendance included Legislators Lu Yu-ling, Su Chiao-hui, Lai Hui-yuan, Chang Chi-kai, Huang Jie, and Wang Cheng-hsu. Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang, Executive Director of the Congressional Affairs Office Iván Yueh-jung Lee, and Deputy Director-General of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Chen Chun-chi, as well as Representative Yip Wei Kiat from the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei.
The ceremony commenced with opening remarks from initiator Legislator Wang, followed by a group photo of all the dignitaries present. After the adoption of the organization's articles of association and the election of the president and vice president, Deputy Secretary-General Chang delivered a speech on behalf of the Legislative Yuan. He expressed that Singapore is the most developed economy in Southeast Asia and the financial center of the Asian-Pacific region. Its stable political and social conditions along with efficient and clean governance have earned international acclaim, making it a model for other countries to emulate. Although Taiwan and Singapore do not have formal diplomatic relations, they share a deep historical connection, with high similarities in ethnicity, language, and folk beliefs, leading to close exchanges in social and cultural aspects.
Deputy Secretary-General Chang continued by highlighting the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and Singapore. Taiwan is Singapore's fourth-largest trading partner, while Singapore is Taiwan's sixth-largest trading partner. In 2023, Singapore became Taiwan's largest investment destination in ASEAN, demonstrating the mutually beneficial economic relationship between the two countries. He further noted that Singapore operates under a cabinet system, essentially a political system dominated by parliamentarians. Strengthening parliamentary diplomacy between Taiwan and Singapore is crucial for enhancing bilateral relations. The Legislative Yuan looks forward to continuing exchanges and visits with Singaporean political leaders and parliamentarians to deepen mutual understanding and cooperation.
Finally, Deputy Secretary-General Chang expressed gratitude to Legislator Wang for his active efforts in establishing the Friendship Caucus, believing that through this platform, parliamentary diplomacy can complement traditional diplomatic channels, assisting in deepening bilateral relations between Taiwan and Singapore. Should there be administrative matters that require coordination in the future, the Legislative Yuan will certainly do its utmost to assist. The inaugural ceremony continued with congratulatory speeches from Deputy Minister Tien from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Representative Yip from the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei, Legislator Su, and Legislator Lai. The atmosphere was warm and cheerful, and after another group photo of all the distinguished guests, the event concluded satisfactorily after approximately 30 minutes.