2024 annual event of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan Group

BrisbanePress Release)

Director William Fan, Chair of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan, James Martin MP and Co-Chair, Mr John-Paul Langbroek MP, hosted the 2024 annual event of the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan at the Queensland Parliament on the evening of June 15 .

The event was attended by over 90 guests, including Queensland Parliament

Speaker Curtis Pitt, Ministers and State Members of the Queensland Parliament from all parties, Overseas Community Affairs

Commissioner Phyllis Lo, Queensland community leaders, representatives from various associations, Taiwanese business executives, senior officials from Taiwanese banks and airlines companies, and members of the Taiwanese Student Association.

Speaker Pitt opened the event by acknowledging the significant contributions of the Taiwanese community to Queensland’s economic development and multicultural fabric. He highlighted the close ties between Taiwan and Queensland in energy, trade, education, culture, and tourism, emphasizing the potential for further growth. He expressed hope that the Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan Group would continue to serve as a mutually beneficial platform for enhancing interaction between Taiwanese Australians and Queensland parliamentarians, aiming for mutual success for Taiwan and Queensland.

In their speeches, Mr Martin MP and Mr Langbroek MP underscored Taiwan’s robust economic and technological advancements, affirming its crucial role as a trading partner for Queensland. They praised Taiwanese immigrants for their dynamic contributions to Queensland’s development, noting their integral role in the state’s diverse cultural landscape. Both MPs committed to further promoting bilateral cooperation and exchanges, with Martin sharing insights from his visit to Taiwan last year, encouraging fellow parliamentarians to deepen their understanding of Taiwan’s politics, economy, and cultural richness to better serve the Taiwanese community in Queensland.

Director Fan highlighted the close economic ties between Queensland and Taiwan in 2023, particularly in trade, academic exchanges, and healthcare cooperation.

He noted ongoing bilateral agreements in technology and industry, foreseeing continued collaboration opportunities in critical minerals and emerging energy sectors.

Moreover, Director Fan discussed the new President Lai Ching-Te’s values-based diplomatic approach and Taiwan’s role in global supply chains, emphasizing Taiwan’s commitment to equality and dignity in managing cross-strait relations. He urged Queensland parliamentarians to support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA) with Australia, aiming to bolster bilateral industrial cooperation, educational exchanges, and safeguard shared democratic values.

Director Fan also expressed gratitude to Queensland parliamentarians and officials for their condolences to the victims of the Hualien earthquake on April 4 and their congratulatory messages to President Lai’s election, affirming Taiwan’s progress in promoting democratic governance.

Throughout the event, attending parliamentarians demonstrated their support for Taiwan and Queensland relations through active engagement with Taiwanese community groups, lively exchanges of ideas, and enjoying the award-winning Kavalan whisky from Taiwan, which received high praise.