European parliamentary staffers visit Taiwan under values program

Taipei, Aug. 15 (CNA) Parliamentary staffers from 12 European countries are visiting Taiwan to exchange views on democratic governance, resilience and digital government as part of a Taiwan-organized exchange program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Saturday.

The delegation is the second group to visit Taiwan this year under the 2026 European Valued Important Partnership (EVIP) program, jointly organized by MOFA and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund.

The visitors, from Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, are in Taiwan from Wednesday through next Friday, according to a MOFA statement.

Deputy Foreign Minister François Wu (吳志中) hosted a reception for the delegation Thursday, at which he stressed the importance of closer Taiwan-Europe cooperation amid growing global instability.

Despite international challenges, Taiwan has maintained peace and stability while delivering strong economic performance, Wu said, citing nearly 14 percent economic growth in the first quarter of 2026 and the country's stock market becoming the world's fifth largest by market capitalization.

Wu said Taiwan's semiconductor industry's success was due in part to long-term cooperation with European partners, particularly the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium.

Delegation leader Matej Števove said the visitors came from different countries and backgrounds but shared a commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law, according to MOFA.

As authoritarian states expand their influence and challenge the international order through economic coercion and other means, Europe should strengthen cooperation with Taiwan on economic, technological and security issues, Števove said.

He also praised Taiwan for demonstrating the resilience of its democracy and expressed hope that the EVIP program would deepen exchanges and partnerships between Taiwan and Europe.

This year's EVIP program focuses on digital governance and includes visits to Taiwanese government agencies and private organizations.

Officials from European representative offices, staff from lawmakers' offices across party lines, academics and nonprofit representatives also attended the reception, MOFA said.