TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Australian Representative in Taiwan and advisor to the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Jenny Bloomfield called for closer people-to-people ties between Australia and Taiwan on Wednesday.

Taiwan and Australia share common values and are complementary economic partners, Bloomfield told Taiwan News. “That provides an excellent foundation” to work from, she said.

As both peoples become more familiar with each other, “we can see even more opportunities,” she said. The former representative mentioned the large Taiwanese community in Australia, including many students and young Taiwanese on working holidays. Additionally, there are many young Australians studying and working in Taiwan, she said.

Australian and Taiwanese Indigenous peoples are also working together on joint projects and exchanges, Bloomfield said. There have been Taiwanese exhibitions and cultural performances in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, which hosted the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art featuring eight Taiwanese Indigenous artists in 2021, she said.

The economic partnership is also a highlight of Taiwan-Australia relations, she said. Taiwan is one of Australia’s major trade partners. Australia ships LNG and coal to Taiwan, as its largest provider of energy, and is investing in renewables and contributing to Taiwan’s energy security, she said. Agriculture trade is also growing, as Australia is a major food supplier to Taiwan, she added.

Amid global challenges, such as climate change and the rise of authoritarianism, the former diplomat emphasized that Taiwan, Australia, and other democracies need to strengthen themselves “in all domains,” including government institutions.

Partners also need to “work together even more closely than we have before,” Bloomfield said. Ensuring a region and world based on rules and cooperation is the best path towards peace and security, she said. Investing in the region is also a vital step, “because, for Australia and Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific is where we live.”

Bloomfield was stationed in Taiwan from 2021-2023. Her experiences during this time led her to consider Taiwan her “second home.”

Bloomfield said she had “a lot of respect and admiration” for Taiwan and its ability to build a free society after decades of authoritarian rule. For our own stability and prosperity, the global democratic community needs to work with Taiwan to make sure it “is safe, is protected, is prosperous,” she said.

The retired diplomat recently returned to Taiwan to attend the eighth Yushan Forum.