Thu, Feb 21, 2019 page1

• Taiwan receives support from 155 EU lawmakers

  COMMON VALUES: The statement called on the EU to support Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations and oppose the use of force by China

  • By Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
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  A joint statement by 155 members of the European Parliament urging China to refrain from taking further military action in the Taiwan Strait and supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations was delivered to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday.

  European Parliament-Taiwan Friendship Group chairman Werner Langen delivered a copy of the “Statement on promoting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” dated Thursday last week during a meeting at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei.

  In the statement, the members said that preserving peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region is of “substantial interest” to the EU and its member states.

  

  European Parliament Taiwan Friendship Group chairman Werner Langen, left, presents President Tsai Ing-wen with a “Statement on promoting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait” at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday.

  Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office

  It also noted the need for the EU to continue supporting the development of peaceful relations between China and its neighbors, including Taiwan, through constructive bilateral and inclusive multilateral mechanisms.

  “We emphasize that all cross-strait disputes should be settled by peaceful means on the basis of international law, and call on the parties concerned to refrain from taking unilateral action to change the status quo,” the statement said.

  It called on the EU and its member states to do their utmost to urge China to refrain from further military action in the Taiwan Strait.

  The statement also reiterated the signatories’ firm support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and activities in which its exclusion is not in line with EU interests.

  The document was signed by parliamentarians across the body’s seven transnational political groups.

  Some of the signatories have occupied significant posts within the parliament or formerly served as premiers, foreign ministers or defense ministers of EU member states, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

  It factored in the wordings used by the EU lawmaking body in its Common Foreign and Security Policy, and its reports on the state of EU-China relations, as well as China’s military threats against Taiwan that have been made in the past few months, the ministry said.

  The statement came after the parliament on Jan. 30 included developments in cross-strait relations on the agenda for a plenary debate, which the ministry said demonstrated its members’ firm support for Taiwan.

  “We will continue to work with the European Parliament to promote Taiwan-EU relations based on the existing foundations,” the ministry said.

  During their meeting, Tsai thanked Langen for his steadfast efforts to promote Taiwan-EU ties since he assumed chairmanship of the group.

  “The statement goes to show that as long as we adhere firmly to the ideas of freedom and democracy, the international community will offer Taiwan its greatest support,” Tsai said.
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