Thu, Dec 01, 2022 page1

• Netherlands passes two pro-Taiwan resolutions

  • By Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter
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  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked the legislature of the Netherlands after the Dutch House of Representatives passed two pro-Taiwan resolutions.

  A resolution urging Amsterdam to use all possible means to enhance ties between Taiwan and the Netherlands and the EU passed the lower chamber of the Dutch Parliament with 129 yes votes and 21 no votes, the ministry said.

  The resolution was jointly proposed by Dutch representatives Kees van der Staaij, who leads the Reformed Political Party, and Sjoerd Sjoerdsma of Democrats 66, who last month visited Taiwan as a member of a delegation from the Dutch Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, the ministry said.

  

  Dutch Representative Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, right, shakes hands with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, center, at the Dutch House of Representatives in The Hague on April 20.

  Photo: EPA-EFE

  Europe should learn from the lesson of the Russia-Ukraine war by standing in solidarity with democracies and checking aggression from authoritarian states, the ministry quoted Sjoerdsma as saying.

  Another resolution proposed by Dutch Representative Wybren van Haga, leader of the Belang van Nederland Party, which called on Amsterdam to extend support for Taiwan by all possible diplomatic means, passed with a 145-5 vote count, the ministry said.

  Van Haga expressed concern over rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said.

  

  At the Hague Embassy Festival on Sept. 4, Representative to the Netherlands Chen Hsin-hsin, left, and The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen hold a calligraphy work of the mayor’s name written in Chinese by Chen.

  Photo courtesy of the Taipei Representative Office in the Netherlands via CNA

  Taiwan and the Netherlands are partners with strong bilateral ties, and share the values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law, the ministry said.

  Taiwan would continue to strengthen collaboration between the two nations on trade, the environment, health, technology and energy, including joint efforts to tackle challenges posed by international law enforcement, aviation safety and climate change, it said.

  Taiwan has been and will remain a responsible member of the international community willing to work with like-minded countries, including the Netherlands, to promote freedom, stability and sustainable prosperity, it said.

  Separately, Representative to the Netherlands Chen Hsin-hsin (陳欣新) thanked the Dutch lawmakers for passing the resolutions, “especially the friends of Taiwan who sponsored the bills.”

  The Dutch House of Representatives has become increasingly critical of Beijing and friendly toward Taipei after China ramped up pressure on Taiwan, Algemeen Nederlands Persbureau BV news agency reported.

  Last year, the legislative chamber said that China’s actions in Xinjiang amounted to “genocide against Uighurs.” This was despite the wishes of the Dutch government, which continues to refrain from using the phrase in connection with Beijing.

  The Netherlands does not accept any continued escalation of regional tensions by Beijing or further acts of hostility directed against Taiwan, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra told lawmakers last week.

  The House last year passed three resolutions that were supportive of Taiwan.

  Last year’s resolutions urged the Dutch government to condemn any unilateral action taken by Beijing to change the cross-strait “status quo” and back Taiwan’s bid to return to Interpol, in addition to calling on the EU to support Lithuania in its decision to pursue ties with Taipei.
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