President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has thanked the Finnish Parliament’s Taiwan Friendship Group for enhancing bilateral relations between Taiwan and Finland. Tsai spoke with the delegation on Monday, which marks the first time Finnish officials have visited Taiwan since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tsai also thanked the group for its long-standing support of Taiwan's international participation. She noted that the two countries have made significant progress in various exchanges in recent years, including a 30% increase in bilateral trade from 2020 to 2021.
The president added that democratic allies must unite together against authoritarianism to protect regional prosperity and the security of supply chains.
Finland’s Taiwan Friendship Group chairperson Mikko Kärnä said Taiwan is an important economic player in East Asia, with renowned expertise in semiconductors. He said Finland shares the EU's support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations.
Kärnä said the United States clearly supports Taiwan and has switched its stance from strategic ambiguity to strategic clarity. He also condemned China for its coercive acts against Taiwan, stressing that Taiwan has the right to decide its own future.