The founding of the new Taiwan-Singapore Parliamentary Friendship Association is evidence of the strong relations between the two nations, Singapore’s representative to Taiwan Stanley Loh (羅嘉良) said at a press conference announcing the establishment of the group yesterday.
Loh touted Taiwan’s potential and said that President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) “I-Taiwan 12 Projects” has piqued immense interest in the Singaporean business sector.
“I found out about the formation of the group three days ago and I was very surprised but extremely happy to hear the news,” he said. “It is like getting a wonderful present from a close old friend.”
He said that Singapore and Taiwan had cooperated on numerous occasions in the past and the two nations would continue to engage in a healthy working relationship in the future.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) also applauded the formation of the group, saying the association would “bring two close friends ever closer.”
“Despite the absence of formal ties, Taiwan and Singapore have always enjoyed a smooth channel of communications. High-ranking officials have visited each other frequently without obstruction,” Wang said.
The association is comprised of 54 lawmakers across party lines and headed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Justin Chou (周守訓), with Wang as its honorary chairman.
Chou said Singapore has achieved many things worthy of emulation, such as its achievement in reaching a GDP per capita of US$30,000, adding that the meeting between former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (吳伯雄) and former Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀) at the Beijing Olympics was an indication of warming bilateral relations that had been frozen in recent years.
Chou also thanked Singapore’s UN representative George Yeo (楊榮文) for speaking up for the nation in this week’s general debate at the UN.
It was the first time that Singapore has publicly supported Taiwan at the global body.
Foreign Minister Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) has previously emphasized the need to foster closer relations with Singapore, calling the nation a crucial friend and ally in Taiwan’s attempts to join ASEAN.
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