President Tsai Ing-wen has called on the UK to start trade talks with Taiwan. Tsai was speaking Tuesday while meeting with British Office in Taipei representative John Dennis.
Tsai said Taiwan and the UK share similar values such as democracy, human rights and free trade. To deepen bilateral relations, Tsai said Taiwan hopes to start talks on signing a free trade agreement and a bilateral investment agreement since the trade volume between the two sides has continued to grow.
Besides cooperation in the finance and wind power sectors, Tsai said Taiwan is also working with the UK in medical supplies and vaccinations.
Tsai said 2021 is a crucial year for both Taiwan and the UK. Besides the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan will face major challenges such as economic transformation and the government’s bid to join international organizations. Tsai said Britain’s political and economic strategies in the Indo-Pacific region after leaving the EU will also attract global attention.