President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday awarded French Senator Alain Richard with a national medal in recognition of his contribution to the development of relations between his country and Taiwan.
Richard, who heads the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, was awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon, a civilian order that can be conferred on citizens or foreign nationals.
At the award ceremony in the Presidential Office in Taipei, Tsai said Richard had “pioneered” exchanges between Taiwan and France for many years, blazing a trail for the development of bilateral ties.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Presidential Office
Tsai said it was heartwarming to see that Richard, along with other members of the Taiwan Friendship Group, was visiting Taiwan for the third time, despite external pressure.
Richard’s visit to Taiwan is like the return of “family members in France,” she said.
The French Senate has continuously been a great advocate for the development of relations between Taiwan and France, and the current visit by Richard and other senators is proof of its support, Tsai said.
Two milestones in the exchanges between Taiwan and France were initiated by the French Senate, Tsai said, citing its passage of a resolution in May to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and its invitation in 2019 for Taiwanese legislators to visit France.
In Richard’s acceptance speech, he said he was dedicating the honor to all members of the French Senate who approved his trip to Taiwan and passed the resolution on Taiwan’s international participation.
“Like many other countries, we support Taiwan,” Richard said, adding that Taiwan has “contributed greatly” in many areas internationally, including the application of healthcare technology and preservation of harmony in the international community.
Prior to Richard’s five-day visit to Taiwan, Beijing had repeatedly voiced its objections, with Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野) in February writing a letter to Richard, saying the visit would “clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to pro-independence forces in Taiwan.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hailed the trip as “symbolizing the insistence of Taiwan and France, as democratic partners, in upholding free and democratic values.”
Additional reporting by AFP
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