April 13, 2015
No. 066
Mr. Pascal Couchepin, former president of the Swiss Confederation, will visit Taiwan from April 13 to 17, 2015, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his five-day stay, Mr. Couchepin will meet with President Ma Ying-jeou, and call at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Mainland Affairs Council, and Fu Jen Catholic University, where he will receive an honorary Doctor of Law degree. Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin will host a luncheon in his honor. Mr. Couchepin will also visit sites of cultural and economic interest, such as the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, and the Southern Taiwan Science Park Bureau, as well as places of historic interest in Tainan.
During Mr. Pascal Couchepin’s two terms as President of Switzerland, his dedication to his nation’s development and to promoting its involvement in international affairs earned him the broad recognition of the Swiss people. Mr. Couchepin previously visited Taiwan in the 1990s, again at the invitation of the ROC government, as a member of the National Council of Switzerland. His visit left him with a very positive and lasting impression. He values highly Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, and is considered an important friend on the international stage. His visit this time aims to give him a better understanding of recent political and economic developments in Taiwan, as well as cross-strait relations. (E)