《TAIPEI TIMES》DPP lawmakers launch Asian amity associations

HELPING NEW ARRIVALS: Lo Mei-ling, who hails from Malaysia, is to head the Malaysia amity group and a legislative association for the rights of immigrants

By Yang Cheng-yu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） lawmakers yesterday launched inter-parliamentary amity associations with Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and for New Southbound Policy nations generally as the 11th legislative session convened.

Legislators Liu Chien-kuo （劉建國）, Hsu Chih-chieh （許智傑）, Lo Mei-ling （羅美玲） and Chung Chia-pin （鍾佳濱） announced the amity groups in addition to other lawmakers’ associations for causes including the rights of new immigrants, they told a news conference at the legislature in Taipei.

Ngo Phuong Thao, deputy director of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, and Alice Vsperas, deputy resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, also attended the event.

Hsu is to head the amity group with Thailand, while Chung is to head the amity groups with Vietnam, the Philippines and other New Southbound Policy nations, they said.

Lo, who hails from Malaysia, is to head the Taiwan-Malaysia Inter-Parliamentary Amity Group and a legislative association for the rights of “new immigrants,” they said.

The nation needs to do more to cement friendly relations with Thailand as bilateral ties continue to grow, Liu said, citing Bangkok’s decision last year to temporarily allow Taiwanese to visit without a visa and other policies that benefited the nation.

Collaboration in agriculture and other fields would enhance Taiwan-Thailand relations going forward, he said.

Taiwan and Indonesia are working together on issues ranging from establishing a direct flight from Kaohsiung International Airport and mutual visa-free entry, Hsu said, adding that the Tourism Administration is poised to open its new office in Jakarta.

Lo, who opened her speech with words of greetings in Malay, said lawmakers from across the political divide have collaborated to create the legislative group on the rights of new immigrants.

The legislature’s immigration reform efforts have borrowed much from the South Korean experience and lawmakers are thankful to South Korean Representative Lee Eun-ho, she said.

Chung said he has been pushing for the legislature to form an amity group for nations included in the New Southbound Policy since President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） launched the initiative in 2016.

The amity group is to facilitate collaboration in agriculture, medicine, education and other livelihood issues with New Southbound Policy nations, which Taiwan could form into an alliance for freedom and democracy, he said.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang （田中光） reaffirmed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ commitment to conduct diplomacy in partnership with the inter-parliamentary amity groups.

The founding of the legislature’s International Affairs Department has underscored the importance of lawmakers to Taiwan’s efforts to identify its supporters in the governments and societies of foreign nations, he said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES