TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Tsai Ing-wen met with former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday (May 19), expressing gratitude to the UK for raising the Taiwan Strait issue to a global level.
The meeting at the Taiwan Presidential Office focused on enhancing cooperation between the two nations in various fields.
During the meeting, President Tsai thanked Truss for her longstanding support of Taiwan's international participation, particularly emphasizing the importance of Taiwan's security in the Taiwan Strait.
President Tsai acknowledged Truss's efforts as foreign secretary, highlighting her role in promoting the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait within the G7 countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
President Tsai remarked that Taiwan and the UK are like-minded partners striving for global democratic development. She mentioned their recent participation in the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, where Truss emphasized the importance of collaboration among the global democratic camp in the face of authoritarian expansion.
The president expressed hope for increased collaboration and exchanges between Taiwan and the UK in supply chain resilience, cybersecurity, and technology startups.
She emphasized the significance of signing a bilateral trade agreement and further deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two nations.
In her remarks, Truss praised Taiwan's achievements and its leadership under President Tsai, especially in the face of significant threats from China.
She highlighted the increasing global confrontation between democracy and authoritarianism, asserting that freedom and democracy are crucial for economic prosperity and the well-being of people.
Truss also advocated for an economic version of NATO, promoting cooperation among like-minded democratic nations to counter the threats posed by authoritarian regimes.
The meeting concluded with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to safeguarding democratic values and discussing strategies for cooperation in defense of freedom and democracy.
