On the afternoon of November 26, President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan, accompanied by KMT Legislator Chen Yeong-Kang, DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-Ting, TPP Legislator Huang Shan-Shan, and International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin, met with a four-member delegation led by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. Deputy Director Jeremy Cornforth of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) also accompanied the delegation during the visit.
Upon the delegation's arrival at the Legislative Yuan, President Han personally greeted them at the main entrance. He then accompanied the delegation to the VIP lounge, where he extended a warm welcome to the guests. After taking a group photo with the attending legislators and the delegation, President Han noted that the presence of cross-party legislators symbolized the Legislative Yuan’s high regard for the visiting delegation. President Han noted that the Legislative Yuan, as a unicameral parliament, currently has 73 cross-party legislators among its 113 members participating in the "Legislative Yuan USA Caucus," fully demonstrating the Legislative Yuan's strong commitment to Taiwan-U.S. relations.
President Han further emphasized to the guests two key areas of focus for the Legislative Yuan: First, President Han highlighted that Taiwan-U.S. relations are Taiwan's most important foreign relationship. He shared that U.S. defense support for Taiwan dates back to 1950, when the United States deployed the Seventh Fleet to safeguard the Taiwan Strait, a commitment that remains crucial to Taiwan's security to this day. Second, President Han emphasized that in terms of national defense and diplomacy, there is a consensus among all legislators to "protect the Republic of China (Taiwan)," "safeguard the democratic system," and "maintain Taiwan-U.S. relations." While internal disagreements on certain issues occasionally arise within the Legislative Yuan, it remains united in advancing parliamentary diplomacy to defend democratic Taiwan on the international stage.
President Han took this special opportunity to express gratitude to the U.S. Senate for its longstanding bipartisan support for Taiwan. He specifically highlighted that in 2020, Senator Merkley, along with then-Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who had just been nominated by President Trump as the new Secretary of State, jointly introduced the bipartisan “Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act.” This act was subsequently reintroduced in 2021 and 2023, aiming to comprehensively strengthen Taiwan-U.S. relations. President Han noted that such pro-Taiwan initiatives allow Taiwan to shine on the international stage and contribute to its enhanced security.
Senator Merkley expressed his gratitude to President Han and the attending legislators for their warm welcome. He shared his experience visiting Taiwan during the 2000 presidential election, recalling the vibrant discussions across all sectors in Taiwan about various policies and the open debates on public issues. He was deeply impressed by the vitality of Taiwan's elections and commended the democratic achievements Taiwan has continued to build over the years, which he believes serve as a model for countries around the world.
Senator Merkley underscored his steadfast support for Taiwan, noting that despite belonging to different political parties, he and Senator Marco Rubio have been willing to collaborate to strengthen support for Taiwan. He expressed his belief that the strong ties between Taiwan and the United States will not be easily shaken. He further explained that one of the purposes of his visit to Taiwan was to convey the United States' strong bipartisan support for Taiwan. He expressed hope for continued deepening of exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in areas such as security, resilience, and economic development.
During the bilateral exchange, Legislator Chen Yeong-Kang expressed gratitude for the United States' decades-long support for Taiwan. He affirmed that the KMT would fully support the passage of relevant defense budgets and ensure their prudent utilization. In addition to continuing the procurement of advanced defensive weaponry systems from the United States, he emphasized the importance of sending Taiwan’s personnel to the U.S. for training, operation, and maintenance of these systems. Through education, training, and the establishment of logistical support capabilities, the aim is to enhance Taiwan's military defense and combat capabilities.
Legislator Chen Kuan-Ting expressed his willingness to continue fostering exchanges and cooperation with the United States. In addition to increasing defense budgets and enhancing national defense capabilities, he also expressed hope for deeper collaboration between the two sides on shared concerns such as climate change and energy security in the future.
Legislator Huang Shan-Shan also expressed her gratitude for the United States' support for Taiwan. She noted that all parties in the Legislative Yuan fully support efforts to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities. She emphasized that assistance from democratic allies represents the most valuable support for Taiwan. Additionally, she hoped for further progress on the issue of "avoiding double taxation" between Taiwan and the United States. She also called for U.S. support in integrating Taiwan into its defense industry supply chain, enabling joint efforts to safeguard security and peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
Both sides engaged in extensive discussions on a wide range of topics, including Taiwan's diplomatic and defense budgets, regional security, climate change, renewable energy, and the space industry. The meeting lasted approximately one hour in a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. After exchanging gifts and taking a group photo, President Han personally escorted the delegation as they departed, bidding them farewell with a wave. The meeting concluded successfully.
