President Han of the Legislative Yuan receives and hosts banquet for delegation led by Marie-Noëlle Battistel, Chair of the French National Assembly's Taiwan Friendship Group; President Han: We look forward to a lasting friendship between the Legislative Yuan and the French Parliament, and to the continued expansion of bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors.
On the afternoon of June 11, President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan received and hosted a banquet for a five-member delegation led by MP Marie-Noëlle Battistel, Chair of the French National Assembly's Taiwan Friendship Group. President Han was accompanied by KMT Legislator Adm. Chen Yeong-Kang, DPP Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, TPP Legislator Mai Yu-Chen, and International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin. Also in attendance were Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Remus Li-Kuo Chen, Deputy Secretary-General of the Department of European Affairs Josephine Lee from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and Deputy Director of the French Office in Taipei Cléa Le Cardeur.
President Han warmly welcomed the delegation to the Legislative Yuan and joined the attending legislators and delegation members for a commemorative group photo. He noted that this was the fifth French parliamentary delegation he had received since assuming office as President of the Legislative Yuan, and expressed that each occasion had been a delight. President Han then explained that the Legislative Yuan is a unicameral parliament composed of 113 members, and introduced the attending legislators representing three different political parties.
President Han further remarked that the people of Taiwan generally hold a favorable impression of France, not only because the Chinese character for the country (法) embodies the meanings of law, order, and governance, but also because Paris is renowned worldwide for its romantic ambiance, fashion, and cuisine–showcasing the country's unique charm in blending rigor with romance. He praised the profound influence of French culture on the lives and values of the Taiwanese people, emphasizing that French literature, sports, and culinary delights have all become part of everyday life in Taiwan. President Han concluded by once again extending a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.
MP Marie-Noëlle Battistel, head of the delegation, thanked President Han for taking the time to receive the delegation. She noted that while this was the first visit to Taiwan for the other members of the delegation, it marked her fourth visit to the country. She added that the focus of this trip would be on key issues such as artificial intelligence, foreign interference, and energy policy. MP Battistel also acknowledged the Legislative Yuan’s efforts and achievements in promoting gender equality, expressing her hope that the visit would further deepen Taiwan-France bilateral relations and foster exchanges and cooperation across diverse fields, including culture, the economy, and society.
MP Battistel continued by stating that the current French National Assembly is composed of eleven political parties, and, similar to Taiwan, no single party holds an outright majority. She expressed her hope to learn from the Legislative Yuan’s experience in operating under such circumstances. MP Battistel also shared insights into the French Parliament’s budget review system as a valuable reference for bilateral parliamentary exchange. She extended a sincere invitation to President Han and the attending legislators to visit France in the future, with a view to further fostering parliamentary exchanges and the friendship between the two sides.
Following the exchange of gifts, the two sides proceeded to the luncheon, during which they engaged in wide-ranging discussions on a variety of topics, including the legislative procedures of the Legislative Yuan, comparisons between the energy policies of Taiwan and France, nuclear waste management, the rights of migrant workers, women's rights, the budget review system, constituency services, and the development of democracy in Taiwan. At the end of the luncheon, both sides took turns singing classic songs from Taiwan, France, and Vietnam, creating a warm, lively, and friendly atmosphere. The luncheon lasted approximately 90 minutes in a relaxed and cordial atmosphere, with both sides enjoying warm and engaging conversations. After the luncheon, the delegation was accompanied by Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, Chair of the Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, for a visit to the chamber, with a guided tour provided by staff from the Department of International Affairs. At the conclusion of the tour, the delegation once again expressed their gratitude for the Legislative Yuan’s warm hospitality and remarked that the visit had left a lasting impression, marking a successful conclusion to the day’s Taiwan-France parliamentary exchange.
President Han warmly welcomed the delegation to the Legislative Yuan and joined the attending legislators and delegation members for a commemorative group photo. He noted that this was the fifth French parliamentary delegation he had received since assuming office as President of the Legislative Yuan, and expressed that each occasion had been a delight. President Han then explained that the Legislative Yuan is a unicameral parliament composed of 113 members, and introduced the attending legislators representing three different political parties.
President Han further remarked that the people of Taiwan generally hold a favorable impression of France, not only because the Chinese character for the country (法) embodies the meanings of law, order, and governance, but also because Paris is renowned worldwide for its romantic ambiance, fashion, and cuisine–showcasing the country's unique charm in blending rigor with romance. He praised the profound influence of French culture on the lives and values of the Taiwanese people, emphasizing that French literature, sports, and culinary delights have all become part of everyday life in Taiwan. President Han concluded by once again extending a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.
MP Marie-Noëlle Battistel, head of the delegation, thanked President Han for taking the time to receive the delegation. She noted that while this was the first visit to Taiwan for the other members of the delegation, it marked her fourth visit to the country. She added that the focus of this trip would be on key issues such as artificial intelligence, foreign interference, and energy policy. MP Battistel also acknowledged the Legislative Yuan’s efforts and achievements in promoting gender equality, expressing her hope that the visit would further deepen Taiwan-France bilateral relations and foster exchanges and cooperation across diverse fields, including culture, the economy, and society.
MP Battistel continued by stating that the current French National Assembly is composed of eleven political parties, and, similar to Taiwan, no single party holds an outright majority. She expressed her hope to learn from the Legislative Yuan’s experience in operating under such circumstances. MP Battistel also shared insights into the French Parliament’s budget review system as a valuable reference for bilateral parliamentary exchange. She extended a sincere invitation to President Han and the attending legislators to visit France in the future, with a view to further fostering parliamentary exchanges and the friendship between the two sides.
Following the exchange of gifts, the two sides proceeded to the luncheon, during which they engaged in wide-ranging discussions on a variety of topics, including the legislative procedures of the Legislative Yuan, comparisons between the energy policies of Taiwan and France, nuclear waste management, the rights of migrant workers, women's rights, the budget review system, constituency services, and the development of democracy in Taiwan. At the end of the luncheon, both sides took turns singing classic songs from Taiwan, France, and Vietnam, creating a warm, lively, and friendly atmosphere. The luncheon lasted approximately 90 minutes in a relaxed and cordial atmosphere, with both sides enjoying warm and engaging conversations. After the luncheon, the delegation was accompanied by Legislator Lin Chu-Yin, Chair of the Taiwan-France Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association, for a visit to the chamber, with a guided tour provided by staff from the Department of International Affairs. At the conclusion of the tour, the delegation once again expressed their gratitude for the Legislative Yuan’s warm hospitality and remarked that the visit had left a lasting impression, marking a successful conclusion to the day’s Taiwan-France parliamentary exchange.