Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison is set to visit Taiwan from Oct. 11 to 12 to participate in an international forum, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
The Australian member of parliament, who served as the country’s 30th prime minister from 2018 to 2022, is to attend the seventh edition of the two-day Yushan Forum, the ministry said in a press statement.
Morrison’s upcoming trip to speak at the forum promoting the government’s New Southbound Policy is a move to demonstrate support for Taiwan, it said.
Photo: Reuters
The policy launched by the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP) in 2017 aims to increase exchanges between Taiwan and neighboring ASEAN member states, as well as India, Australia and New Zealand.
The ministry’s confirmation of Morrison’s attendance came after he told The Australian on Friday that he intends to visit Taiwan, and after a delegation of Australian parliamentarians traveled to Taipei last week.
The Yushan Forum is organized by the ministry and the Taipei-based non-governmental organization Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation.
Another former Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, had spoken at the 2021 Yushan Forum.
This year’s Yushan Forum theme will be “Start a New Blueprint for Asian Development.”
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