Source: Republic of China Taiwan
Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for cross-party parliamentary delegation from Ireland
Date：2025-07-23
Data Source：Department of European Affairs
July 23, 2025
No. 254
On July 22, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a welcome luncheon for a delegation from Ireland led by Deputy Speaker John McGuinness of the Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives), who also chairs the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association. Minister Lin sincerely thanked members of the Irish parliament for taking concrete action to show their staunch support of Taiwan.
In his remarks, Minister Lin said that relations between Taiwan and Europe had flourished in recent years and that Europe had become Taiwan’s largest source of foreign investment. He also pointed out that Ireland, as an important member of the European Union, shared with Taiwan the fundamental values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. Noting that Taiwan was indispensable to global semiconductor supply chains and that Ireland was a European high-tech hub, he said that the two countries could improve their competitiveness and economic growth by combining their respective technological strengths. He asserted that transatlantic and Indo-Pacific security and prosperity were closely connected. Furthermore, Minister Lin stated that, in the face of changing international trade dynamics as well as the restructuring of global supply chains, Taiwan and Ireland could strengthen cooperation in various areas and promote value-added diplomacy grounded in a values-based friendship.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker McGuinness emphasized that Taiwan and Ireland were a great deal alike, as both countries were island nations as well as major trading countries. He added that Ireland played a key role in the European Union and shared with Taiwan the goals of creating prosperity and bolstering national development. In addressing a rapidly evolving global situation, the two sides could make use of opportunities for deeper bilateral collaboration in technology, economics, trade, education, artificial intelligence, and other fields. Deputy Speaker McGuinness also expressed hope that the two nations would jointly uphold democratic values, safeguard their free and democratic way of life, further mutual understanding, and create opportunities for cooperation that would foster mutually beneficial growth.
Ireland is a European powerhouse in technology and innovative industries and, like Taiwan, is an export-oriented economy. The industrial structures of the two countries are highly complementary. Building on the existing foundation of friendship, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation in economics, trade, technology, and other spheres. (E)