Lai welcomes largest-ever Italian parliamentary delegation to Taiwan

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday welcomed the largest-ever cross-party Italian parliamentary delegation to Taiwan, led by Italian Senate Vice President Gian Marco Centinaio.

Receiving the 10-member delegation, Lai noted that Centinaio has long supported Taiwan and is making his fifth visit to the country.

Italy is currently Taiwan's fourth-largest trading partner within the European Union, Lai said, adding that the two sides have highly complementary industrial strengths.

Lai also thanked the Italian Parliament for passing a law earlier this year granting immunity from seizure to foreign artworks and cultural properties temporarily loaned to Italy for public exhibitions.

The measure will pave the way for Taiwan's cultural artifacts and artworks to be exhibited in Italy, Lai said.

Amid the continued expansion of authoritarianism, democratic countries should support one another, Lai said.

"Taiwan will continue to cooperate with Italy and other like-minded partners to uphold the rules-based international order and expand economic, trade and industrial collaboration," he added.

Centinaio, meanwhile, said the delegation comprised members of both houses of the Italian Parliament, as well as members of the ruling and opposition parties, and therefore "represents the whole of Italy in every respect."

Many Italian parliamentarians, including himself, believe that "helping Taiwan is helping the entire world," Centinaio said, stressing the importance of maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

"As long as two democracies continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, greater achievements are sure to follow," he said through an interpreter.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the delegation is visiting Taiwan from Monday through Saturday.

In addition to meeting with Lai, the delegation will meet with Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) and former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), and hold talks with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs' International Trade Administration, among others, on issues of mutual interest.

The delegation will also visit Tainan and Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, MOFA said.

The other members of the delegation are senators Enrico Borghi, Daniela Ternullo, Dario Damiani and Silvia Fregolent, and members of the Chamber of Deputies Alessandro Cattaneo, Tiziana Nisini, Tilde Minasi, Giusy Versace and Fabrizio Benzoni, MOFA said.