Australian lawmakers call for better ties with Taiwan

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen greets the Australian lawmakers. Pic/AP

On a visit to Taiwan, a delegation of six Australian lawmakers called on Tuesday for warmer relations with the self-ruled island increasingly threatened by Beijing.

The visit comes as Australia has been working at recalibrating its relationship with China, which had been tense in the past few years over disputes on the origin of COVID. China in response had imposed tariff barriers on several Australian exports, such as barley.

Paul Fletcher, a lawmaker with Australia's Liberal Party, lauded the fact that the lawmaker delegation crossed party lines. "The two major parties in Australia are both represented and we are here to further the warm relationship between Australia and Taiwan," he said. The group also discussed strengthening economic cooperation with Taiwan, particularly in clean energy, and expressed an interest in Taiwan's semi-conductor industry.

Australia has been working to expand its security partnerships in the region due to China's presence, which has grown in the past few decades. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said she was grateful for Australia's role in regional security, citing its new partnership with the US and the United Kingdom called AUKUS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

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