TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Taiwan's first female head of state who completed her second term last year, is scheduled to address students and faculty at the prestigious University of Cambridge on Friday (May 16). The landmark speech will be followed by discussions with Taiwanese professionals working across British industries and academic institutions. Tsai's itinerary includes an evening dinner with Taiwanese expatriates at a local Cambridge restaurant before she returns to London later that night.
Tsai's Cambridge appearance caps a high-profile United Kingdom tour that began on May 15 following earlier stops in continental Europe. Her visit gained significant attention after she addressed British lawmakers at Parliament, where she called for stronger U.K.-Taiwan cooperation in defending shared democratic values. The former president later attended a reception organized by parliamentarians supportive of Taiwan in the historic House of Lords' banquet hall, sharing personal memories of her time studying international law in Britain during the 1980s.
In a particularly notable diplomatic gesture Wednesday afternoon, Tsai held private talks with Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the ornate Speaker's House residence within the Parliament complex. The meeting — rare for a former leader of Taiwan, which lacks formal diplomatic recognition from the United Kingdom — was widely interpreted as a signal of British support for Taiwan's democratic institutions. Sarah Champion, who serves as co-chair of the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group, characterized the high-level encounter as "a profound statement of respect" for Taiwan's democratic achievements. ◼