立法院韓國瑜院長於本（11月26）日下午在國民黨陳永康委員、民進黨陳冠廷委員、民眾黨黃珊珊委員及國際事務處林晨富處長等人陪同下，接見「美國聯邦參議員傑夫默克利（Jeff Merkley）訪問團」一行4人，美國在台協會柯傑民副處長等亦隨行陪同。

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.

訪團抵達立法院時，韓院長在立法院大門前親迎，嗣陪同訪賓一行進入貴賓室，首先向訪賓表達熱忱歡迎，並偕在場委員與訪賓合影後表示，今日出席委員來自跨黨派代表，象徵立法院對訪團的重視。韓院長提及，立法院為單一國會，目前113位委員中有高達73位跨黨派委員參加「臺美國會議員聯誼會」，充分展現立法院對台美關係的高度重視。

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.

韓院長續向訪賓強調立法院關注的兩個重點：其一，台美關係是我們最重要的對外關係，他分享美國對台灣的協防可溯至1950年美國派遣第七艦隊防守台灣海峽開始，至今仍對台灣的安全防護至關重要；其二，在國防外交上，「保護中華民國」、「守護民主制度」及「維護美台關係」是全體委員的共識，雖然立法院內部針對若干議題可能因意見不同而時有爭執，然對外仍持續致力推動國會外交，以守護民主台灣。

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.

韓院長亦藉今日特別的機會，感謝美國參議院長期以來不分黨派對台灣的大力支持，他特別提及2020年，默克利參議員當時曾與頃獲川普提名之新任國務卿共和黨盧比歐（Marco Rubio）參議員共同提出跨黨派之「台灣關係強化法案」（Taiwan Relations Reinforcement Act），並分別於2021及2023年兩度重新提出，盼藉此全方位深化台美關係，這些有台舉動將讓台灣在國際上持續閃耀，因而更安全。

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.

默克利參議員感謝院長及在場委員的熱情歡迎，並分享自己曾於2000年我國總統大選時訪台，對於當時台灣各界熱烈討論各種政策，並就公共議題公開辯論印象深刻，親眼見證到台灣選舉非常有活力，並肯定台灣這些年以來持續累積的民主成就，值得世界各國效法。

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.

默克利參議員強調對台灣的支持，他與盧比歐參議員雖屬不同黨派，彼此卻都願意共同合作，強化對台灣的支持，他相信台美之間緊密的關係不會輕易被動搖。他並說明此行來台的目的之一，即為向大家傳達美國對台灣強韌的跨黨派支持，並期許雙方持續深化在安全、韌性、經濟等各領域的交流合作。

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.

雙邊交流時，陳永康委員感謝美國過去幾十年來對台灣的支持，未來國民黨也會全力支持通過相關國防預算並且有智慧的運用，除續向美採購先進防衛武器，更希望將台灣的人才送到美國訓練、操作及維修這些武器，透過教育訓練與建構後勤維修能力，來提升我國軍的防衛與作戰能力。

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.

陳冠廷委員表示樂於持續與美國交流合作，除提高軍備預算，強化國防能力外，並盼未來雙方也能續就氣候變遷及能源安全等共同關切議題深化交流。

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.

黃珊珊委員亦感謝美國對台灣的支持，並提及立法院各黨派都全力支持台灣提升自我防衛能力，而來自民主同盟的協助，就是對台灣最好的支援。此外，她亦期許台美在「避免雙重課稅」議題上能取得出新的進展，並盼美國協助台灣加入其國防工業產業鏈，共同維護印太區域安全與和平。

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.

雙方嗣就我國外交及國防預算、區域安全、氣候變遷、再生能源、太空產業等議題廣泛交換意見。會談歷約1小時，氣氛友好愉快，雙方互贈禮品及合影後，韓院長親自送訪團離開並揮手道別，今日會晤圓滿結束。

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.