Mr. Ker-Sheng Chang, Chairman of Formosa Kulturförening, Mrs. Margareta Cederfelt, Member of Parliament, Ambassador Daniel T.C. Liao and Ms. Caroline Szyber, Chairperson of Swedish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Association cutting the cake.In the evening of October 8, Taipei Mission in Sweden held a celebration of the 107th National Day of the Republic of China at the Sheraton Hotel. The Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius, several Swedish Members of Parliament, senior government officials, members from the diplomatic corps, think tanks, scholars, overseas Chinese and international students attended the celebration.
In his remarks, Ambassador Liao, the representative of Taipei Mission in Sweden addressed Taiwan´s daunting situation and challenges that no other country has experienced. However, the diligent Taiwanese people are making world-wide achievements. For instance, Taiwan has shown strong economic performances. Taiwanese passports can be exempted visas to 167 countries. The press freedom index ranks first in Asia. In the face of China's utmost suppression, the government of the Republic of China will continue to uphold the concept of "practical diplomacy, mutual benefit and reciprocity", adhere to universal values such as freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and make good use of Taiwan's advantages of using "soft power", and strengthen the substantive relationship with other countries.
The Swedish Member of Parliament Margareta Cederfelt, on behalf of the "Swedish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Association", praised the progress of the Republic of China on political and economic progress, and hoped the relationships between Sweden and Taiwan could be enhanced under the cooperation between STPA and Taiwan’s representative office.
Ambassador Liao, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), conferred a Friendship Medal of Diplomacy to Caroline Szyber, Chairperson of the Swedish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Association, to recognize her outstanding contributions to enhancing the relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Kingdom of Sweden.
Taipei Mission in Sweden specially set up a "Taiwan Study and Tourism Promotion Booth" at the venue to encourage outstanding young people in Sweden to make good use of the various scholarship programs offered by the government to study Chinese in Taiwan, and to encourage the Swedish people to travel to Taiwan.
Ambassador Liao, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan), conferred a Friendship Medal of Diplomacy to Ms. Caroline Szyber, Chairperson of the Swedish-Taiwanese Parliamentarian Association.
