Taiwan’s Vice Pesident lauds robust Taiwan-Australia ties

TAIPEI -- Agriculture, biotechnology, energy, and information and communication technology are just some of the potential-laden fields for co-operation in which Taiwan and Australia are seeing solid progress, Taiwan's Vice President, Lai Ching-te, has told the outgoing Head of the Australian Office in Taipei, Gary Cowan. Speaking at Taiwan's Presidential Palace, Lai said the support of Australia, which he described as a "like-minded partner" for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations, was sincerely appreciated.

Lai said he had discussed numerous Indo-Pacific strategic issues with Cowan while serving as Premier of Taiwan from 2017 to 2019, and that this dialogue had continued after he took office as Vice President in May. The discussions, he added, had largely centred on ways of expanding bilateral economic, cultural and trade exchanges between Australia and Taiwan.
 Taiwan would keep working with Australia in promoting peace, prosperity and stability throughout the region, he said. Taiwan-Australia ties were going from strength to strength on the back of close co-operation in an array of areas benefitting the people of both sides
 Australia is one of 18 countries targetted under Taiwan's New Southbound Policy. A key plank in the government's national development strategy, the NSP seeks to deepen Taiwan's agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 ASEAN member states, six South Asian countries, and Australia and New Zealand.
 ttonline@mofa.gov.tw  (ATI).