First two members of Swiss multi-party delegation arrive in Taiwan for six-day visit
Feb 06, 2023
Taipei [Taiwan], February 6 : The first two members of a Swiss multi-party parliamentary delegation on Sunday arrived in Taiwan for a six-day visit that will include meetings with President Tsai Ing-wen and other top government officials, Focus Taiwan reported.
According to Focus Taiwan, national councilors Fabian Molina and Mustafa Atici of Switzerland's Social Democratic Party arrived at Taoyuan International Airport just after 6 am and were greeted by officials from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
The delegation's other members, national councilors Nicolas Walder and Leonore Porchet of the Green Party and Yves Nidegger of the Swiss People's Party, are expected to arrive on later flights.
Molina and Walder also serve as co-presidents of the Swiss-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group.
In a statement issued last week, MOFA welcomed the delegation's visit, which it said would include meetings with Tsai, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, and Control Yuan President Chen Chu, Focus Taiwan reported.
The group will also visit the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Development Council, the Mainland Affairs Council, and the National Science and Technology Council, as well as the Hsinchu Science Park.
According to MOFA, the Swiss politicians will also travel to the outlying county of Kinmen and visit the sites of historical battles between mainland China and Taiwan, before departing on Friday this week.
China recently condemned the nearly week-long visit of British lawmakers to Taiwan.
The delegation met high-level officials, including Taiwan's foreign minister, Joseph Wu. The committee also met Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang.
The Chinese embassy in the UK said the MPs' visit to the "Taiwan region of China" took place despite Beijing's "firm opposition".
"This is a flagrant violation of the one-China principle and a gross interference in China's internal affairs," a Chinese spokesperson said.
Taiwan is self-ruled but China sees it as a breakaway province that will eventually unite with it.
Beijing's statement added that any moves to undermine China's interests would be met with 'forceful responses'.
