Lai meets French parliamentarian delegation

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday met with a visiting French parliamentary delegation in Taipei, with both sides expressing a strong commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation across a range of sectors.

During the meeting at the Presidential Office, Lai thanked the delegation led by French lawmaker Marie-Noëlle Battistel for supporting Taiwan's international participation and freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait at the National Assembly.

Amid current geopolitical and economic challenges, Taiwan will continue working closely with France and other like-minded countries to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global prosperity, he said.

He added that he looked forward to seeing "new momentum to bilateral relations" as both sides continued to deepen their partnership in the fields of trade, energy and cybersecurity.

In her remarks, Battistel reaffirmed her support for Taiwan, adding that she remained committed to "strengthening the ties between our two democratic countries in a complex geopolitical context."

The lawmaker also emphasized shared concerns such as foreign interference and disinformation, which she said could undermine the security of all nations.

According to Battistel, the delegation has held productive talks with Taiwanese ministers and officials since arriving on June 8 for a six-day visit, gaining insights into key cooperation areas, including energy, semiconductors, and youth and cultural exchanges.

Joining Battistel at the meeting were four other members of the National Assembly: Laetitia Saint-Paul, deputy chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Éric Martineau, Marie-José Allemand and Claudia Rouaux.