U.K. will seek to strengthen Taiwan ties under Labour: Lord Leong

Taipei, April 2 (CNA) Visiting Labour Party peer Lord Leong said Tuesday that his party would continue to strengthen relations with Taiwan should it triumph in the United Kingdom's next general election.

"I hope that when some of us visit [Taiwan] again, it may be as government ministers ... and in that capacity we will continue to strengthen commercial, educational and cultural ties between us," Leong said during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office in Taipei.

Leong said that Tsai "has shown political stability encourages long-term strategic thinking and investment," which he described as "vital in a competitive and rapidly changing global climate."

The Labour shadow business and trade spokesman added that he was "delighted" to discover the crucial role of small- and medium-sized businesses in Taiwan's economy.

Offering whisky maker Kavalan as an example, Leong said Taiwan's "entrepreneurial spirit" had led to the creation of a "world-class product."

Leong added that his Labour Party delegation hoped to exchange views with local officials and businesses during its time in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Tsai thanked the British parliament for underscoring the importance of cross-strait peace, citing reports published by both the foreign affairs and defense committees of the House of Commons last year.

Tsai also highlighted significant progress in economic, technology, and green energy exchanges between Taiwan and the U.K., expressing optimism for future collaborations, such as in digital trade.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Leong's Labour Party delegation, which arrived on March 30 and will depart on April 5, will meet with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), along with economic, science and cross-strait affairs officials.