On the afternoon of May 21, President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan met with a four-member delegation from the French National Assembly, led by Member of Parliament Guillaume Kasbarian. He was accompanied by DPP Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, KMT Legislator Dr. Lin Chien-Chi, and International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin. Also present were Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Daniel Diann-Wen Tang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Department of European Affairs Josephine Lee, and Deputy Director of the French Office in Taipei, Cléa Le Cardeur.

President Han first extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation, and later joined the attending legislators and guests for a commemorative group photo. President Han stated that the Legislative Yuan is the highest representative body in the Republic of China (Taiwan) responsible for reviewing the national budget and enacting legislation. It comprises 113 legislators, including 48 women, accounting for 42.5% of the total, which demonstrates Taiwan’s remarkable achievements in gender equality. President Han went on to commend France for its outstanding performance across various fields, noting that its achievements have left a lasting impression. For instance, in the field of defense, Taiwan previously procured French-made Mirage fighter jets. In the high-tech industry, France holds a significant position in the global supply chain in sectors such as electric vehicles, aerospace technology, and renewable energy. In terms of everyday life, the people of Taiwan have great appreciation for high-quality French brands, such as Carrefour. In the realm of literature, Taiwanese readers have enriched their minds and broadened their cultural horizons through works such as Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo and Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables.

MP Guillaume Kasbarian began by expressing his gratitude to President Han and the cross-party legislators for taking the time to meet with the delegation. He went on to commend Taiwan for its remarkable achievements in economic development. He stated that the primary purpose of the visit was to attend the opening of Computex Taipei and the Kaohsiung French Festival 2025. He emphasized that Taiwan and France share fundamental values such as human rights, the rule of law, freedom, and democracy. In light of increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics, he expressed hope that both sides will continue to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen cooperation across various fields.

During the bilateral exchanges, Chair of the Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, DPP Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, remarked that she has long taken an interest in Taiwan-France trade relations and expressed her hope that the two countries will further strengthen economic and trade cooperation in the future. She added that, in recent years, leading Taiwanese high-tech companies such as Foxconn and ProLogium have made investments and established manufacturing facilities in France. She welcomed the growing economic and investment ties between the two countries, which contribute to mutual benefit and shared prosperity. DPP Legislator Lin also expressed her sincere appreciation to both the French National Assembly and Senate for their continued support of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations through the adoption of several resolutions. She voiced hope that mutual visits and exchanges between the two sides will continue to deepen in the future, thereby strengthening bilateral friendship.

KMT Legislator Dr. Lin Chien-Chi began her remarks with a self-introduction in French, noting that she had previously studied and undertaken academic exchanges in France as a scholarship recipient. Her fluent command of the French language was warmly commended by the visiting delegation. KMT Legislator Lin went on to mention her visit to Paris last year (2024), during which she toured facilities related to the upcoming Olympic Games. She highlighted the strong foundation of cooperation between Taiwan and France in areas such as technology and culture, and expressed hope that this partnership would continue to expand into new fields. She concluded by extending her best wishes to the delegation for a smooth and memorable stay in Taiwan.

The two sides engaged in a wide-ranging exchange of views on topics including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, innovative technologies, Taiwan-France cultural exchanges, trade and investment, economic development, and a comparative discussion of the political systems of both countries. President Han concluded by emphasizing that although Taiwan is small in size, it possesses remarkable vitality. While the nation accounts for only 0.03% of the world’s land area and 0.3% of its population, its industrial output represents as much as 3% of global production—an extraordinary achievement by any measure. He welcomed future visits to Taiwan by members of the French Parliament as a means to further deepen bilateral exchanges and strengthen the substantive friendship between the two sides. The meeting lasted approximately one hour in a warm and cordial atmosphere. It concluded successfully with an exchange of gifts.