NSC deputy secretary-general to serve as representative to EU

Taipei--Harry Tseng (???), the deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), confirmed Tuesday that he will soon serve as Taiwan's representative to the European Union and Belgium.

"The EU is an important representative office, and I'm glad to have the opportunity to serve there," the career diplomat said.

Tseng has served as Taiwan's ambassador to Palau and representative to Ireland. After President Tsai Ing-wen (???) took office in May 2016, he was named deputy secretary-general of the Presidential Office and served as a key aide on Tsai's overseas visits.

In August, he was asked to take the post of NSC deputy secretary-general.

Tseng will fill the vacancy left by Tung Kuo-yu (???), whose application to retire was granted by the Presidential Office.

A Presidential office source said relations between Taiwan and the EU have become closer recently, and visits by EU politicians have doubled since the second half of last year.

The EU is one of the government's top three diplomatic priorities along with the United States and Japan, but it is facing a challenging time because of the United Kingdom's pullout from the EU and the continent's immigration and refugee crisis, the source said.

With the EU at a crossroads, Taiwan has to review its relations with Europe and consider how to deepen its relations with the region, the source said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel