Legislator Meets Irish Parliamentary Delegation, Hopes for Resumption of Irish Representative Office in Taiwan

Legislative Yuan Vice President Johnny Chiang, accompanied by legislators Chang Chih-lun (KMT), Kuo Yu-ching (DPP), and Chen Chao-tzu (TPP), met with an eight-member 'Irish Cross-Party Parliamentary Delegation' led by Senator Garret Ahearn.

Chiang stated that this is the fourth Irish parliamentary delegation hosted by the current Legislative Yuan in over two years, indicating continuous deepening of bilateral exchanges. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception during his visit to Ireland in September last year.

Chiang pointed out that although Taiwan and Ireland are geographically distant, both are island economies with high dependence on foreign trade and possess high competitiveness. According to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025, Taiwan and Ireland rank 6th and 7th globally, respectively. Furthermore, the UN's 2026 World Happiness Report ranks Ireland 13th and Taiwan 26th, indicating both are high-happiness countries. Both sides share core values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and he thanked the Irish Parliament for its long-term support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Chiang further noted that Taiwan and Ireland have high potential for cooperation in fields such as green energy, smart economy, innovative industries, and healthcare. Both sides have complementary strengths and should continue to deepen cooperation for mutual development. Taiwan has established a representative office in Ireland and hopes that Ireland will resume its presence in Taipei to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Ahearn expressed his pleasure at visiting Taiwan again after two years and thanked the Legislative Yuan for its warm reception. He noted that this delegation of eight parliamentarians is the largest Irish parliamentary group to visit Taiwan since 2018, making it particularly significant. Ireland completed its parliamentary elections over a year ago, and except for himself, all other delegation members were newly elected. Their visit aims to deepen their understanding of Taiwan-Ireland relations and establish exchange foundations early on.

Ahearn pointed out that delegation members come from various parts of Ireland and cover diverse professional fields, making them highly representative. Several members are also part of the 'Irish Parliamentary Friendship Group with Taiwan,' which, among over 50 international friendship groups in the Irish Parliament, is the second largest after the US-related group, highlighting Taiwan's importance in the Irish Parliament. Ireland has long supported Taiwan's participation in international organizations, including as an observer at the World Health Assembly (WHA), and will continue to speak out for Taiwan in the future. (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150408