Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang of the Legislative Yuan attended the celebration for the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III, hosted by the British Office Taipei on the evening of June 19. The event was attended by numerous distinguished guests, including Secretary General of the National Security Council Jaushieh Joseph Wu, Deputy Secretary General Hsu Szu-Chien, and Deputy Secretary General Lin Fei-Fan. KMT Legislators Chen Yu-Jen and Dr. Ko Ju-Chun, Minister without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan Yang Jen-Ni, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lin Chia-Lung, Minister of the National Development Council Liu Chin-Ching, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Herming Chiueh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-I, KMT Chairperson Eric Chu, Vice Chairperson Sean Lien, as well as diplomats and representatives from various countries, joined more than 200 distinguished guests from the political, academic, and diplomatic communities in the grand and vibrant celebration.
Following the opening announcement by the master of ceremonies, British Representative to Taiwan Ruth Bradley-Jones took the stage alongside Vice President Chiang of the Legislative Yuan and Foreign Affairs Minister Lin. During her remarks, Representative Bradley-Jones warmly asked Vice President Chiang what he liked most about Taiwan. Vice President Chiang responded with humor, “What makes Taiwan most attractive is the warmth of its people—and bubble milk tea.”
Following remarks by Foreign Affairs Minister Lin, Vice President Chiang delivered his address. Vice President Chiang expressed his great honor in representing the Legislative Yuan and its President Daniel K.Y. Han at the celebration for the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III. He extended his best wishes for the King's good health and success, as well as continued prosperity for the United Kingdom, and expressed his hope for enduring friendship between Taiwan and the UK.
Vice President Chiang went on to note that Taiwan and the United Kingdom have long shared core values such as democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. In this era of rapidly changing global dynamics, he emphasized that both sides should work hand in hand to confront challenges together. He noted that since becoming a Member of the Legislative Yuan, he has actively promoted Taiwan-UK exchanges, having served as Chair of the Taiwan-UK Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association for two consecutive terms and made multiple visits to the United Kingdom. In the current 11th Legislative Yuan, five parliamentary delegations from the UK have already been received, and 65 cross-party legislators have joined the Republic of China-UK Parliamentary Amity Association, demonstrating strong parliamentary support for deepening Taiwan-UK relations.
Vice President Chiang expressed his sincere gratitude to the UK government and Parliament for their longstanding and unwavering support of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He also voiced hope for continued cooperation with like-minded countries to safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and promote regional stability. Highlighting the strong trade partnership between Taiwan and the UK, he further called on the UK to support Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in order to deepen bilateral economic ties and foster shared regional prosperity.
Vice President Chiang further emphasized that in recent years, Taiwan and the United Kingdom have seen increasingly close cooperation in areas such as trade, education, tourism, and youth exchanges. In the fields of culture and education, the United Kingdom is not only Taiwan’s fifth most popular destination for overseas study, but also welcomes over a thousand Taiwanese youths each year through the bilateral working holiday program—demonstrating both the enthusiasm and strong potential for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. In addition, the United Kingdom was the first country in Europe to grant visa-free entry to Taiwanese travelers. The number of UK visitors to Taiwan in 2024 has already rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, reflecting Taiwan’s growing appeal as a travel destination and its recognition by international visitors. Vice President Chiang also extended a warm invitation to international friends to visit the Legislative Yuan and witness firsthand the vibrancy of Taiwan’s democratic development.
Vice President Chiang also expressed his appreciation for Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones’s active efforts in deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation since assuming her post, noting that the results have been widely recognized. He expressed hope that more parliamentary-level visits and dialogues could be facilitated in the future to further strengthen the Taiwan-UK partnership. In closing, Vice President Chiang extended his heartfelt wishes for His Majesty the King’s good health and well-being, for lasting friendship between Taiwan and the United Kingdom, and for peace, happiness, and success to all distinguished guests in attendance.
Following the remarks, the organizers invited Secretary General of the National Security Council Wu, Minister without Portfolio Yang, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin, Minister of the National Development Council Liu, and Vice President Chiang to join Representative Bradley-Jones on stage. Together, they invited all distinguished guests to raise their glasses in a toast to celebrate the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III. The reception continued with warm and lively interactions, as Vice President Chiang engaged with Representative Bradley-Jones and the attending ambassadors and representatives from various countries. The atmosphere was cordial and festive, filled with a spirit of friendship and celebration. The celebration concluded successfully after approximately two hours.
