TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Monday (July 22) emphasized Taiwan's respect for religious freedom and development, urging the importance of fostering exchanges with Islamic countries. Lai's remarks came during a meeting at the Presidential Office with a delegation led by Salahuding Ma (馬超彥), vice president of Taiwan's Chinese Muslim Association (中國回教協會).
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Deputy Minister of the Interior Wu Tang-an (吳堂安), and Adel Fahad A. Althaidi, a representative of the Saudi Arabian Trade Office (沙烏地阿拉伯商務辦事處), accompanied the delegation. Lai noted this was his first interaction with a Hajj group since taking office and expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for ensuring a smooth pilgrimage to Mecca (麥加).
Lai highlighted that Islam (伊斯蘭教) is one of the world's three most influential religions, with approximately 1.8 billion Muslims (穆斯林) globally. This year's Hajj saw about 1.83 million Muslims from various countries participate.
Lai praised the group's efforts in meeting with key international and Saudi organizations, thanking them for using religion and culture to deepen Taiwan's ties with Islamic nations. Taiwan, home to around 300,000 Muslims, has collaborated with civil organizations since 2016 to create a Muslim-friendly environment, featuring prayer rooms and halal-certified restaurants.
Since 2019, Taiwan has ranked among the top three non-organization Islamic cooperation destinations on the Global Muslim Travel Index (全球穆斯林旅遊指數), reflecting its diversity and inclusivity. Lai hoped the group's members would share Islamic teachings and spirit with Taiwanese people and further enhance Taiwan's exchanges with Islamic countries.