TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A delegation of Canadian lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Monday (Oct. 9), ahead of National Day to exchange views with Taiwanese officials and bolster bilateral ties.

Leading the group is the co-chair of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group, Michael MacDonald. During their five-day visit, the lawmakers will hold discussions with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), National Security Council Secretary General Wellington Koo (顧立雄), Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), and other senior government officials, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) statement.

The group, which includes MPs Leonidas Housakos, Pierre Dalphond, David Richards, and Marilou McPhedran, will also attend the National Day celebration on Oct. 10. Their arrival to celebrate Double Tenth amid rising cross-strait tensions underscores their strong support for the country, MOFA said.

Taiwan and Canada are close partners sharing democratic, free, human rights, and values associated with the rule of law, the foreign ministry said. This visit will help the lawmakers gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan and the regional situation and allow them to contribute to ongoing efforts in the Canadian Parliament to promote a deeper Taiwan-Canada bilateral partnership, it added.

This is the third Canadian parliamentary delegation to visit Taiwan in recent months. One came in July and another arrived in April.