Luxembourg is committed to boosting bilateral ties with Taiwan in a wide range of areas. On the basis of their common values and interests, the two nations are looking for ways to develop their partnership in order to attain significant gains.
The European country stands as a reliable ally when it comes to speaking up for Taiwan’s inclusion in multilateral fora. It also aims to deepen cultural, economic and technological cooperation.
Luxembourg’s parliament has passed many resolutions supporting Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations, particularly the WHO and the World Health Assembly (WHA).
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) said during a meeting this month with a parliamentary delegation from Luxembourg that “Taiwan is grateful to Luxembourg’s legislature for passing motions in support of its meaningful involvement in international organizations and for speaking up for Taiwan at the WHA for three consecutive years.”
By asking for Taipei’s inclusion, Luxembourg is aligning itself with like-minded countries that are increasingly aware of how “Taiwan can help.”
Regarding deepening relations with Taiwan, the resolutions also called for bolstering bilateral cooperation to achieve concrete and tangible results for both parties.
This was the main aim of Luxembourg’s first parliamentary delegation to visit Taiwan since 2019. Led by Luxembourgian Deputy Stephanie Weydert, the delegation stressed the need to “work together to contribute to the advancement of global democracy.”
During a meeting with National Human Rights Commission Vice Chairwoman Wang Yu-ling (王幼玲), Weydert mentioned her country’s occupation by Nazi Germany in 1940 to underscore that “Luxembourg values democracy and freedom, and the advancement of human rights in Taiwan.”
Wang noted the common values shared by both countries while calling for further exchanges with Luxembourg over human rights. As Taiwan aims to further increase the level of protection of citizens’ rights, it values any cooperation with like-minded countries as a significant tool to attain these objectives.
Another important topic of common interest is stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait, as Luxembourg is increasingly aware of the need to contain China for the benefit of the international community as a whole.
In that sense, Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies “urged the government to work to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.” By calling for a proactive approach in dealing with Chinese threats, the Luxembourgian parliament demonstrated its consciousness of the deep interconnections between peace in the Indo-Pacific and the security of the EU.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine has proven, international conflicts should not be perceived as confined to a single conflict zone, nor lacking in potential negative consequences for other regions of the world. Therefore, it is crucial to view reality from a more-sighted perspective.
Luxembourg has adopted a proactive approach in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine by signing an agreement on security cooperation and long-term support for Kyiv. It could be anticipated that a firm stance would be taken in case of an escalation of the conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
Taking into account the bipartisan support in Luxembourg for maintaining the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait, it is foreseeable that the government would continue to promote a political agenda favorable to Taiwan’s aspirations in the international community, and defending peace and stability in the region.
Michele Maresca is an analyst at Il Caffe Geopolitico, an online international law journal, and the think tank Geopol21.
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