TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan convened for the first time on Wednesday (March 29).

The group consists of 22 cross-party lawmakers, including chairs Simon O’Connor and Ingrid Leary, per a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release (MOFA).

O’Connor welcomed the members to the pro-Taiwan ranks and highlighted the group’s goal of deepening Taiwan-New Zealand relations and economic exchanges. The group also seeks to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, he said.

Leary pointed out that Taiwan and New Zealand have close economic and trade exchanges and share the values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. She expressed hope that the establishment of the Taiwan friendship group will deepen bilateral interactions.

Taiwan’s New Zealand representative, Joanne Ou (歐江安) thanked the two co-chairs for encouraging New Zealand parliamentarians to set up a Taiwan friendship group, which opens a new page in the history of Taiwan-New Zealand ties. Ou also called on the New Zealand parliament to back Taiwan's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and participation in the World Health Organization and other international organizations.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said in a video message the establishment of the Taiwan friendship group is an important milestone in Taiwan-New Zealand relations.

Both Taiwan and New Zealand are founding members of the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA), MOFA said. “We hope that the New Zealand parliament will further support Taiwan's accession to the CPTPP and comprehensively deepen exchanges between the two countries,” it added.