President Daniel K.Y. Han of the Legislative Yuan receives delegation of five led by Andrew Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade of the UK Conservative Party; President Han: We hope to deepen Taiwan-UK bilateral relations and strengthen economic and trade exchanges between the two nations
On the morning of October 1, President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜) of the Legislative Yuan, accompanied by Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang (江啟臣), Chair of the ROC-UK Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association Legislator Dr. Alice Chang, as well as KMT Legislator Chen Ching-Hui, DPP Legislator Dr. Wang Cheng-Hsu, and TPP Legislator Chen Gau-Tzu, received a five-member delegation led by Andrew Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade of the UK Conservative Party. Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Daniel Kuo-Ching Chen also accompanied the delegation.
President Han sincerely welcomed the delegation and introduced Vice President Chiang and the cross-party legislators accompanying the reception. President Han noted that the UK Parliament comprises 650 seats in the House of Commons and approximately 800 seats in the House of Lords, totaling over 1450 seats. In comparison, the Legislative Yuan is a unicameral legislature with 113 members. He highlighted the enthusiastic cross-party attendance at this exchange, and expressed his hope for the continued deepening of Taiwan-UK relations.
President Han pointed out that the UK is currently Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner in Europe, with bilateral trade reaching nearly US$8 billion, and added that there is substantial room for further growth. He hoped the attending parliamentarians would assist in strengthening bilateral economic and trade exchanges. President Han added that over the past five centuries, the UK has contributed profoundly to global development, earning its reputation as the empire on which the sun never sets. Without British involvement, he said, the world would be dim and colorless. The participation of the British people has made the world vibrant and made democracy possible.
President Han further noted that Taiwan’s land area accounts for only 0.03% of the world’s total, and its population accounts for 0.3% of the global population. Although Taiwan is not a nation on which the sun never sets, “Taiwanese businesspeople upon whom the sun never sets” can be found in every corner of the world. He expressed confidence that the delegation’s visit would provide deeper insights into the strength and dedication of Taiwanese businesses at home and abroad and would help uncover greater potential for Taiwan-UK cooperation.
MP Andrew Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, thanked President Han, Vice President Chiang, and the attending legislators for their hospitality. He noted that Taiwan-UK parliamentary relations are solid and close, and the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) undergoes a large amount of active operations, which shows that parliamentarians from the UK, regardless of political party, all highly value parliamentary exchanges with Taiwan. He sincerely invited the Legislative Yuan members to visit the UK at a future date. MP Griffith also humorously added that Taiwan accomplishes with just over a hundred legislators what the UK Parliament seeks to do with more than a thousand members, demonstrating Taiwan’s remarkable productivity.
MP Griffith finished by emphasizing that the international landscape is rapidly changing, with increasing trade competition, and the rise of economic nationalism and social divisions are presenting significant challenges. These circumstances mean that parliamentarians must shoulder a greater responsibility, and must work closely with the business community to identify effective solutions. This is one of the primary purposes of their visit. He noted that the UK will continue to enhance the quality of life for its citizens and promote national growth through parliamentary exchanges and trade cooperation, while firmly upholding free trade, the rules-based international order, and precious democratic values.
Vice President Chiang stated during the discussion that he had recently led a cross-party delegation to the UK and thanked the UK Parliament for its warm reception. He mentioned that he had served as the Chair of the ROC-UK Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association for the past eight years, with legislator Dr. Alice Chang taking over the role in the current term. He expressed his hope for continued deepening of parliamentary exchanges. Vice President Chiang emphasized the critical importance of boosting bilateral trade. Drawing on his experience teaching international trade and international organizations, he highlighted the value of free trade and democratic systems. He expressed his hope that the UK will continue to lead free trade and democratic development on the international stage, with Taiwan willing to work hand-in-hand with the UK to advance these goals and safeguard international peace. Vice President Chiang further called for the UK, which officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a year ago, to support progress in the working group that reviews Taiwan’s accession application, noting that this is not only critical for Taiwan but also for the global trading system.
The Chair of the ROC-UK Parliamentary Amity Association, Legislator Dr. Alice Chang, mentioned in her remarks that the association includes over 80 members from different political parties, fully reflecting the Legislative Yuan’s strong commitment to relations with the UK Parliament. She also shared that she had studied in the UK and considers it her second home, so she is happy to see stronger Taiwan-UK relations. Legislator Chang also highlighted that the women hold 42.5 percent of seats in the Legislative Yuan, the highest proportion among Asian parliaments. She invited the guests to visit her constituency in Yunlin, a major agricultural county, to learn about Taiwan’s smart agriculture applications and agricultural development.
KMT Legislator Chen Ching-Hui, an obstetrician gynecologist, expressed her deep admiration for the UK’s achievements in reproductive medicine as the first country in the world to successfully implement in vitro fertilization (IVF). She noted that many Taiwanese physicians regularly visit the UK to exchange expertise in this field. Legislator Chen went on to mention that she focuses on issues related to healthcare resources, energy, the environment and labor. She pointed out that Taiwan is also undergoing an energy transition and continues to face challenges related to overworked and underpaid medical personnel, hoping the two countries can strengthen cooperation to address these shared concerns.
DPP Legislator Dr. Wang Cheng-Hsu thanked the UK for issuing statements from 2023 to 2025 supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and for endorsing Taiwan’s attendance at the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer. He emphasized that Taiwan has a robust healthcare system and upholds the belief that health is a basic human right, and that Taiwan strives to promote global health equity. He expressed his hope that both sides, each with their special expertise in specific sectors, would continue to strengthen cooperation to jointly enhance the health and well-being of the people of both nations when facing challenges like aging populations and medical personnel shortages.
TPP Legislator Chen Gau-Tzu stated that TPP places great importance on Taiwan-UK bilateral relations and thanked the UK Parliament for its continuous support for Taiwan's international participation and concern for Taiwan's security issues. She noted that each country has its areas of expertise, with Taiwan having strong capabilities in semiconductors and information and communication technologies, while the UK excels in finance, education and innovation. She highlighted the enormous potential for cooperation in free trade, net zero transition, artificial intelligence, and digital governance and encouraged further exchanges and collaboration. Legislator Chen concluded by stating that Taiwan will continue to be a reliable international partner, willing to face future challenges together with the UK.
Both sides also engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics including bilateral parliamentary exchanges, new energy transition, health industry development, prospects for free trade, and the promotion of gender equality. The meeting lasted approximately one hour, concluding successfully in a warm and candid atmosphere after both sides exchanged gifts.
President Han sincerely welcomed the delegation and introduced Vice President Chiang and the cross-party legislators accompanying the reception. President Han noted that the UK Parliament comprises 650 seats in the House of Commons and approximately 800 seats in the House of Lords, totaling over 1450 seats. In comparison, the Legislative Yuan is a unicameral legislature with 113 members. He highlighted the enthusiastic cross-party attendance at this exchange, and expressed his hope for the continued deepening of Taiwan-UK relations.
President Han pointed out that the UK is currently Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner in Europe, with bilateral trade reaching nearly US$8 billion, and added that there is substantial room for further growth. He hoped the attending parliamentarians would assist in strengthening bilateral economic and trade exchanges. President Han added that over the past five centuries, the UK has contributed profoundly to global development, earning its reputation as the empire on which the sun never sets. Without British involvement, he said, the world would be dim and colorless. The participation of the British people has made the world vibrant and made democracy possible.
President Han further noted that Taiwan’s land area accounts for only 0.03% of the world’s total, and its population accounts for 0.3% of the global population. Although Taiwan is not a nation on which the sun never sets, “Taiwanese businesspeople upon whom the sun never sets” can be found in every corner of the world. He expressed confidence that the delegation’s visit would provide deeper insights into the strength and dedication of Taiwanese businesses at home and abroad and would help uncover greater potential for Taiwan-UK cooperation.
MP Andrew Griffith, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, thanked President Han, Vice President Chiang, and the attending legislators for their hospitality. He noted that Taiwan-UK parliamentary relations are solid and close, and the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) undergoes a large amount of active operations, which shows that parliamentarians from the UK, regardless of political party, all highly value parliamentary exchanges with Taiwan. He sincerely invited the Legislative Yuan members to visit the UK at a future date. MP Griffith also humorously added that Taiwan accomplishes with just over a hundred legislators what the UK Parliament seeks to do with more than a thousand members, demonstrating Taiwan’s remarkable productivity.
MP Griffith finished by emphasizing that the international landscape is rapidly changing, with increasing trade competition, and the rise of economic nationalism and social divisions are presenting significant challenges. These circumstances mean that parliamentarians must shoulder a greater responsibility, and must work closely with the business community to identify effective solutions. This is one of the primary purposes of their visit. He noted that the UK will continue to enhance the quality of life for its citizens and promote national growth through parliamentary exchanges and trade cooperation, while firmly upholding free trade, the rules-based international order, and precious democratic values.
Vice President Chiang stated during the discussion that he had recently led a cross-party delegation to the UK and thanked the UK Parliament for its warm reception. He mentioned that he had served as the Chair of the ROC-UK Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association for the past eight years, with legislator Dr. Alice Chang taking over the role in the current term. He expressed his hope for continued deepening of parliamentary exchanges. Vice President Chiang emphasized the critical importance of boosting bilateral trade. Drawing on his experience teaching international trade and international organizations, he highlighted the value of free trade and democratic systems. He expressed his hope that the UK will continue to lead free trade and democratic development on the international stage, with Taiwan willing to work hand-in-hand with the UK to advance these goals and safeguard international peace. Vice President Chiang further called for the UK, which officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a year ago, to support progress in the working group that reviews Taiwan’s accession application, noting that this is not only critical for Taiwan but also for the global trading system.
The Chair of the ROC-UK Parliamentary Amity Association, Legislator Dr. Alice Chang, mentioned in her remarks that the association includes over 80 members from different political parties, fully reflecting the Legislative Yuan’s strong commitment to relations with the UK Parliament. She also shared that she had studied in the UK and considers it her second home, so she is happy to see stronger Taiwan-UK relations. Legislator Chang also highlighted that the women hold 42.5 percent of seats in the Legislative Yuan, the highest proportion among Asian parliaments. She invited the guests to visit her constituency in Yunlin, a major agricultural county, to learn about Taiwan’s smart agriculture applications and agricultural development.
KMT Legislator Chen Ching-Hui, an obstetrician gynecologist, expressed her deep admiration for the UK’s achievements in reproductive medicine as the first country in the world to successfully implement in vitro fertilization (IVF). She noted that many Taiwanese physicians regularly visit the UK to exchange expertise in this field. Legislator Chen went on to mention that she focuses on issues related to healthcare resources, energy, the environment and labor. She pointed out that Taiwan is also undergoing an energy transition and continues to face challenges related to overworked and underpaid medical personnel, hoping the two countries can strengthen cooperation to address these shared concerns.
DPP Legislator Dr. Wang Cheng-Hsu thanked the UK for issuing statements from 2023 to 2025 supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and for endorsing Taiwan’s attendance at the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer. He emphasized that Taiwan has a robust healthcare system and upholds the belief that health is a basic human right, and that Taiwan strives to promote global health equity. He expressed his hope that both sides, each with their special expertise in specific sectors, would continue to strengthen cooperation to jointly enhance the health and well-being of the people of both nations when facing challenges like aging populations and medical personnel shortages.
TPP Legislator Chen Gau-Tzu stated that TPP places great importance on Taiwan-UK bilateral relations and thanked the UK Parliament for its continuous support for Taiwan's international participation and concern for Taiwan's security issues. She noted that each country has its areas of expertise, with Taiwan having strong capabilities in semiconductors and information and communication technologies, while the UK excels in finance, education and innovation. She highlighted the enormous potential for cooperation in free trade, net zero transition, artificial intelligence, and digital governance and encouraged further exchanges and collaboration. Legislator Chen concluded by stating that Taiwan will continue to be a reliable international partner, willing to face future challenges together with the UK.
Both sides also engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics including bilateral parliamentary exchanges, new energy transition, health industry development, prospects for free trade, and the promotion of gender equality. The meeting lasted approximately one hour, concluding successfully in a warm and candid atmosphere after both sides exchanged gifts.