10-member European parliament group visits Taiwan

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) A European Parliament (EP) delegation led by European Taiwan Friendship Group Chair Michael Gahler is visiting Taiwan from Sunday through Friday, during which they will meet with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and other senior officials to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

The delegation made up mainly of European People' Party members is the first group from the EP to visit the country in 2026, MOFA said in a Monday press release.

Other than meeting the president, the 10-member parliamentary delegation will also meet with Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), and representatives from the Legislative Yuan, National Security Council, Mainland Affairs Council, economics and defense ministries, among others, according to the press release.

The delegates will hold meetings with local academics and NGOs to exchange views on countering disinformation and cyberattacks, whole-of-society resilience, Taiwan-EU economic cooperation, and Indo-Pacific and cross-strait issues, it said.

The group will also visit the offshore county of Kinmen, before they conclude their trip on Friday, it added.

The visiting EP members include, Sven Simon, Wouter Beke, Christophe Gomart, Marion Walsmann, Iuliu Winkler, Michał Szczerba and Jan Farský, according to MOFA.