Bangkok: Taiwan’s new representative to Thailand, Peter Sha-li Lan, arrived in Bangkok on Sunday, marking the start of his tenure aimed at enhancing Taiwan-Thailand relations.

According to Focus Taiwan, Lan and his wife were welcomed by his deputy and staff at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, along with Taiwanese businesspeople and expats at Bangkok’s main international airport. In his address, Lan emphasized the significance of the New Southbound Policy, President Lai Ching-te’s vision of an ever-expanding economy, and Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung’s Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, which focus on boosting trade and economic relations.

Lan highlighted the restructuring of the global supply chain, which underscores Taiwan’s strengths in high-tech, electronics, and semiconductor industries. He noted that many Taiwanese businesses and young entrepreneurs have opted to expand their operations to Thailand. Reflecting on the changes in geopolitics, politics, and business in Thailand since his previous posting over a decade ago, Lan expressed his intention to reacquaint himself with the country to foster cooperation and build stronger connections between Taiwan and Thailand in various sectors, including trade, technology, education, labor, and culture.

Lan’s appointment to Thailand follows his role as the head of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in July 2023. His diplomatic career also includes serving as ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from 2021 to 2023, and as the deputy representative at the Taiwan Economic and Trade Office in Indonesia before that. Lan has a history of working at Taiwan’s representative office in Thailand, where he headed the political division and served as a spokesperson until 2015, as reported by MOFA.

Lan succeeds Chang Chun-fu, under whose leadership the Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments between Taiwan and Thailand was signed in June 2024. This made Thailand the fifth trading partner to sign such an agreement with Taiwan since 2016, following similar agreements with the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Canada, as noted on MOFA’s website. In addition, Chang recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training with Narong Boonsatheanwong, Thailand’s representative to Taiwan, on June 20 of this year.