French Parliamentary Delegation Visits Penghu County, Praises Island's Scenery

Central News Agency, Penghu County, June 11

Estelle Youssouffa, Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly and member of the France-Taiwan Friendship Group, led a delegation to visit the Penghu County Government today. Both sides exchanged views on tourism development and Taiwan-France collaboration, with the visiting delegation praising Penghu’s distinctive island landscapes and cultural characteristics.

The delegation included Estelle Youssouffa, Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly; Thomas Gassilloud, Vice Chair of the Defense Industry Study Group; and Hanane Mansouri, member of the Legal Affairs Committee. In the afternoon, they were received by Deputy County Magistrate Lin Chieh-hsing, who expressed heartfelt gratitude for the French Parliament’s long-standing concrete support for Taiwan and expressed hopes for deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the future.

Deputy Magistrate Lin introduced Penghu’s unique natural scenery and cultural features through a photo album. He also shared details of this year’s Penghu International Sea Fireworks Festival, which is collaborating with the popular IP 'Dragon Ball Z,' and presented commemorative Dragon Ball fans to the French guests, showcasing Penghu’s tourism appeal and creative energy.

Lin recalled his visit to Mont-Saint-Michel in France, expressing deep impressions of the island’s changing landscapes with the tides and its distinctive church architecture. He noted that Penghu is a member of the 'Most Beautiful Bays in the World' organization, which originated in France, highlighting a solid foundation for cooperation between Taiwan and France in marine conservation, promotion of beautiful bays, and sustainable development.

Youssouffa stated that this was her second visit to Taiwan and her first to Penghu. As Taiwan consists of numerous islands, she expressed a desire to visit each one to better understand their local cultures and characteristics. Having visited Taiwan’s main island last year, she came to Penghu this year and hopes to visit other outlying islands in the future. She highly praised Penghu’s beautiful scenery, ubiquitous ocean views, and serene, comfortable environment, saying it left a profound impression. (Edited by Chang Ya-ching) 1150611