Focus Taiwan
January 3, 2023

Ex-NATO secretary-general arrives in Taiwan

Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday morning for a three-day visit, during which he will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Rasmussen, who also served as Denmark’s prime minister, was welcomed by MOFA Department of European Affairs chief Vincent Yao upon his arrival at Taoyuan International Airport at around 7:08 a.m.

During his scheduled stay from Tuesday to Thursday, Rasmussen, founder of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, will also meet with Vice President Lai Ching-te, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, lawmakers and think tank scholars, MOFA said in a statement.

In a separate press release issued by the AoD, the foundation said the visit was the first official visit by a former NATO secretary-general to Taipei.

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He said the trip was a chance to show his support for Taiwan and “its ability to choose its own future freely, peacefully, and independently.”

The Danish politician was the 24th prime minister of Denmark from November 2001 to April 2009 and the 12th secretary-general of NATO from August 2009 to October 2014.