Liberal International on Saturday passed a “World Today Resolution” recognizing the threat that China poses to Taiwan, while supporting Taipei’s inclusion in international organizations.
Liberal International was established in 1947 as a federation of liberal political parties from around the world. Last week, it held its 63rd congress in Sofia, Bulgaria, which was attended by 221 representatives from 58 countries.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), in her capacity as chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), delivered a speech in a pre-recorded video at the congress’ opening on Thursday.
Photo courtesy of the Democratic Progressive Party via CNA
DPP spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-fen (謝佩芬) yesterday said the party, which has been a member of Liberal International since 1994, thanks the group and its global partners for their long-term support for Taiwan.
She said many politicians expressed their support for Taiwan during the congress, including Ilhan Kyuchyuk, a Bulgarian lawmaker and copresident of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe; Art Eggleton, a former Canadian minister of international trade and minister of national defense; Canadian lawmaker Leah Taylor Roy; British Member of the European Parliament Phillip Bennion; and South African lawmaker Thomas Walters.
The World Today Resolution passed at last year’s congress expressed concern over China’s impact on Taiwan, including its interference with Taiwan’s elections, Hsieh said.
This year’s resolution expressed concern over the increasing number of Chinese incursions into Taiwanese waters and airspace, saying the moves “can unilaterally undermine the status quo of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
It added that it “strongly supports” Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations such as the WHO and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Liberal International’s executive committee also passed a resolution upgrading its “fair-trade task force” to a standing “fair-trade committee,” recommending Hsieh as one of the eight committee members and the only representative from Asia.
DPP Legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) was also re-elected as one of the 22 human rights committee members.
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