President Tsai Ing-wen said Feb. 25 that Taiwan is committed to forging a closer relationship with Germany through expanded cooperation and exchanges in areas such as health care and trade, spotlighting the two sides’ long-standing friendship.
 
Ties between Taiwan and Germany have gone from strength to strength recently, as reflected by letters of intent signed last year covering autonomous vehicles, mutual recognition of driver’s licenses, road safety and transitional justice, as well as cooperation agreements on banking and insurance information sharing, and expedited travel inked earlier this year, Tsai said. This is backed by rising German support for the country’s renewable energy and high-tech industries, she added.
 
Tsai made the remarks while receiving Thomas Prinz, director general of German Institute Taipei, at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.
 
As one of Europe’s largest economies, Germany can help fast-track investment protection agreement negotiations with the EU, Tsai said, adding the government stands ready to enter talks whenever necessary.
 
Tsai further expressed her appreciation of Germany’s leadership for speaking on behalf of all 27 EU member states in support of Taiwan’s participation in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of the World Health Organization during the global body’s Executive Board meeting this month. The endorsement is expected to continue when Germany takes over the EU’s rotating presidency in July, she added. (YCH-E)
 
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