OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

On 15 September the Taipei Representative Office, together with the British-Taiwanese APPG co-chairs Mr. Nigel Evans MP, Lord Faulkner of Worcester and Lord Steel of Aikwood hosted a welcome reception for the new ROC Representative David Y.L. Lin. In a speech delivered in the House of Lords’ Attlee Room, Representative Lin lauded the longstanding friendship and support of the APPG members, underscoring the importance of Taiwan-UK relations and looking towards further future co-operation between the two countries. The APPG reception was the first to be hosted by the new representative and precedes a seven member UK delegation which is to visit Taiwan later this month.

below: a transcript of Representative Lin’s speech

Mr Evans, Lord Faulkner, Lord Steel, Ladies and Gentlemen; welcome!

It is a great pleasure to be gathered here this afternoon in the company of so many friends of Taiwan. Having arrived in the United Kingdom just three weeks ago, I am delighted to have this opportunity to refresh our links with Taiwan’s friends in this country.

• Gratitude for longstanding support

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group co-chairs, Mr Nigel Evans, Lord Faulkner and Lord Steel. Your longstanding dedication to the bilateral relations of Taiwan and the United Kingdom has done much to strengthen our ties, and I greatly look forward to working with you throughout the coming years.

As one of the largest APPG’s of its kind, with over 150 members from both houses of parliament, I have great confidence that our bilateral ties will continue to expand and strengthen as we head into 2017, in everything from trade and culture, to education, tourism, science and technology.

Among the most important functions of this APPG, is its consistent support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organisations, such as the World Health Assembly (WHA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This support has played a crucial role in raising Taiwan’s international visibility and amplifying its voice on the international stage, ensuring that Taiwan is well placed to continue its promotion of freedom and democracy in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. On behalf of my government, I would like to thank this APPG for the extensive role it has played in this regard.

• Importance of the Taiwan-UK bilateral relationship

As the new Representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the UK, I am well aware of the importance of our links with the United Kingdom. As likeminded countries, with a partnership firmly rooted in our shared values of freedom and democracy, there is great scope for the future of our relations, and as the United Kingdom reformulates its foreign policy, I hope that both our countries will explore the many opportunities that come with this, with a view to promoting a potential future free trade agreement (FTA) and bilateral investment agreement (BIA).

• Foreign policy remains unchanged

While this year has seen a change of government in Taiwan, I would like to affirm that Taiwan’s foreign policy remains fundamentally unchanged; indeed our country stands committed to building strong and diversified relations with likeminded countries, while continuing to function as a force for peace and a beacon for democracy in the Asia-Pacific region.

Taiwan will continue to engage in candid exchanges and pursue the possibilities for co-operation with mainland China, through which Taiwan can continue the peaceful development and continuous promotion of the cross-strait relationship, while continuing to operate on the world stage as a nation committed to the promotion of democracy.

• Closing lines

In closing, I would like to re-iterate my gratitude to everyone here for your steadfast friendship and support. I am heartened by the great progress our countries have made in recent years and I am very confident Taiwan can count on your continued support. I very much anticipate working with all of you to strengthen the relations of Taiwan and the United Kingdom in the months and years ahead.