The Parliamentary Friendship Groups for Taiwan, the United States and Japan in the New South Wales Parliament jointly hosted an “Indo-Pacific Partners Networking Reception: Celebrating Shared Values and Regional Friendship,” bringing together government leaders, members of the consular corps, academics, media representatives, community leaders, and business executives.
The event was co-chaired by Ms. Natasha Maclaren-Jones MLC, Shadow Minister for Families and Communities and Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for the United States, and Ms. Steph Cooke MP, Shadow Minister for Water and Chair of the Parliamentary Friendship Group for Japan. Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu of TECO Sydney attended and delivered remarks alongside Consul-General Osamu Yamanaka of Japan and U.S. Consul-General Jeremy Cornforth, who briefed participants on bilateral relations and regional cooperation.
Among the distinguished guests were representatives from Delta Electronics, ASUS Australia, MSI Australia, Taiwan Power Company, and all nine Taiwanese banks operating in Sydney, reflecting the depth of Taiwan’s economic engagement with New South Wales.
In his remarks, DG Wu noted the following points:
- The freedom, security, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific are closely interconnected. Taiwan remains committed to strengthening its self-defence capabilities and appreciates the continued support of like-minded partners in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
- Driven by the AI revolution and global supply chain restructuring, Taiwan’s economy is projected to grow strongly in 2026. Companies such as TSMC, Delta Electronics, ASUS, and MSI are leading global innovation and expanding cooperation with partners including NVIDIA.
- Australia and Taiwan maintain complementary trade relations, including energy and infrastructure financing, while Taiwan’s airlines continue to expand direct services between Taipei and major Australian cities. Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem has also expanded internationally, including investments and cooperation in the United States, Japan, Europe, and Latin America.
- Taiwan stands ready to deepen cooperation with Australia and other like-minded partners, and looks forward to further strengthening connectivity and economic ties in the region.
U.S. Consul-General Jeremy Cornforth highlighted ongoing cooperation among like-minded partners, including joint digital infrastructure projects in the Pacific and the role of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) in strengthening regional resilience.
Japanese Consul-General Osamu Yamanaka reflected on the long-standing ties between Japan and New South Wales and the significance of the Australia–Japan partnership, while also noting the relevance of Japan’s high-speed rail experience for future infrastructure development discussions.
During the reception, DG Wu presented the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy on behalf of Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lin Chia-lung to Hon. Anthony Roberts MP and Dr. Hugh McDermott MP in recognition of their longstanding support for Taiwan and contributions to Taiwan–Australia relations.
