TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign delegations visiting Taiwan are more than just ceremonial formalities, Kuan-Ting Chen (陳冠廷), CEO of the Taiwan NextGen Foundation, and Huynh Tam Sang, a research fellow at the foundation, said in an opinion article published in The Diplomat on Tuesday (Aug. 30).

The two argued that these visits help Taiwan bolster unofficial ties and maintain stable bilateral relations with other nations. Clear lines of communication between Taiwan and non-diplomatic allied countries “help enhance diplomatic ties, forge mutual understanding, demonstrate explicit friendship, and further the possibility of exploring opportunities and channels for collaboration,” they said.

Foreign members of parliament are also helpful, Chen and Huynh said. Upon returning home, lawmakers can push for policies to address common interests, concerns, and trends between their country and Taiwan.

Delegations also spur ideas for economic initiatives and cooperation programs that later come into fruition via concrete actions, the scholars said. More importantly, they increase awareness within the international community and amongst policymakers and ordinary people about the strategic importance of Taiwan in the "battle against authoritarianism".

To counter China and support Taiwan simultaneously, advancing pragmatic cooperation with Taipei and making frequent visits a routine component of interactions should be necessary to maintain the Taiwan Strait status quo, Chen and Huynh said. This way, nations can block China from “reshaping the regional order and becoming a domineering regional hegemon.”

The scholars said things are looking up for Taiwan, as more lawmakers are prioritizing Taiwan’s security and seeking to establish closer economic ties.

They pointed out that two separate German delegations and a European trade committee are planning to travel to Taiwan in October and December, respectively. A Canadian congressional delegation also intends to visit Taiwan later this year to seek more trade opportunities.