Vice President Wu Den-yih met with a visiting delegation from the Irish Senate on Monday. During the meeting, Wu spoke about how the two countries have a lot in common. He said that Ireland is an important entryway into Europe, in much the same way that Taiwan is the best gateway to Mainland China.
“We hope that the two countries, which have the common core values of freedom, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, and are key gateways to Europe and Asia, can strengthen trade ties, to not only improve the welfare of our two peoples, but also have a significant impact on regional economic development," said Wu. "We have high hopes and determination.”
The Irish delegation includes Senate Leader Maurice Cummins and four other senators, who are in Taiwan on a six-day visit.
Vice President Wu said that both Taiwan and Ireland had been affected by the global economic downturn. However, he said, both countries are gradually picking up steam in a volatile global market.