Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim called for deeper economic and strategic cooperation with Australia during a meeting with a visiting parliamentary delegation.
Hsiao hosted a bipartisan delegation led by Australian Senate Deputy Speaker Slade Brockman. She thanked the lawmakers for their support for bilateral relations and for their visit, which gave them an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan.
The vice president noted that the Indo-Pacific region is facing growing geopolitical challenges as Taiwan continues to be subjected to military pressure and actions in the so-called “gray area“.
Changes in the global economy also increase the need for like-minded partners to build stable and reliable supply chains, she said.
Xiao pointed to existing cooperation between Taiwan and Australia in energy, mineral resources and other economic sectors. She said the two countries should build on these relations and expand cooperation in more areas.
The strong demand for artificial intelligence and related hardware has also become an important driver of economic growth in recent times, Xiao said. She stressed that the benefits of this growth should be shared more widely among society.
Recalling her visit to Australia about 20 years ago, Xiao noted how significantly bilateral relations have developed since then.
She expressed hope that Taiwan and Australia would continue to build on the progress made and deepen their cooperation in the years to come.