Leader of a French parliamentary delegation André Gattolin says that the French Senate and French National Assembly's support for Taiwan is continuing to grow stronger. Gattolin is the Vice Chairman of the French Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and the Armed Forces. The comments were made during the delegation's meeting with Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Gattolin said the significant increase in support for Taiwan can be seen from the current 42 members of the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group. He says this exceeds the 40 members of the France-China Friendship Group, which symbolizes the balance of France’s relations with Taiwan and China.
Gattolin says that French President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently on a tour of the Indo-Pacific region, expressed positive views on the delegation visit. He says he will tell Macron that France’s ministers and secretaries of state should follow Germany’s example and visit Taiwan to allow for even closer dialogue.
Gattolin says Taiwan is a model example of democracy, which values freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. He adds he is impressed by Taiwan’s outstanding performance in economics, science, and technology,
During the five-day trip, the delegation also met with Vice President Lai Ching-te ( 賴清德) and visited Taiwan’s vital economic and cultural facilities. Members of the delegation will leave on July 27.