Fri, Dec 15, 2023 page1

• Europe passes reports calling for peace in Strait

  EU-CHINA TIES: One of the reports said the EU would bolster security and economic cooperation with partners, including Taiwan, to maintain stability and prosperity

  • By Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporter
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  The European Parliament on Wednesday approved three reports calling for the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

  After passing without objections a resolution on EU-Taiwan trade and investment relations, the parliament approved reports on EU-US, EU-Japan and EU-China relations during a plenary session from Monday to yesterday in Strasbourg, France.

  The resolution acknowledges Taiwan as an important economic and investment partner for the EU, and calls for the nation’s inclusion in multilateral and international forums.

  

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday.

  Photo: AFP

  The report on EU-China ties opposes Beijing’s constant distortion of UN Resolution 2758 by demanding that Taiwanese passport holders, including journalists, workers at non-governmental organizations and political activists be barred from accessing UN tours and events.

  It also condemns China’s military provocations in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the region.

  The EU and the US agreed to continue to boost cooperation against authoritarianism and economic coercion around the world, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the report on EU-US ties says.

  The EU is to bolster security and economic cooperation with the US and other like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan, to maintain regional stability and prosperity, and ensure freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and the South China and East China seas, it says.

  The efforts are also to “counter challenges that affect our shared values, interests, security and prosperity, in particular, any unilateral attempt to alter the status quo between the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan,” it says.

  China’s military provocations are meant to threaten Taiwan and beyond, including the Indo-Pacific region and the established global order, it says.

  In the report on EU-Japan relations, the European Parliament acknowledges Taiwan as “an important partner and a precious friend,” and reaffirms that cross-strait peace and stability “is an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community.”

  Any change of the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait “must only take place by peaceful means and with mutual consent,” it says.

  In Taipei yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thanked the European Parliament for approving the reports and encouraged the EU to bolster ties with Taiwan.

  The European Parliament demonstrated its concern for the situation in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region as well as its solid commitment to Taiwan, the ministry said.

  In other news, Taiwan and the US on Wednesday held a working group on expanding Taipei’s meaningful participation in international organizations.

  The meeting, which was held in Washington by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, was attended by representatives of the US Department of State and the ministry, the AIT said in a press release.

  The discussion focused on near-term opportunities to support Taiwan’s expanded participation in the World Health Assembly and other global public health bodies, the International Civil Aviation Organization, as well as Taiwan’s meaningful participation in non-UN international organizations, it said.

  US participants highlighted the “world-class expertise” Taiwan contributes to health, food security, aviation green fuels and women’s empowerment, calling on like-minded partners to work closely to prevent the exclusion of Taiwan from the international community, it said.

  The two sides are to continue to bolster ties among international partners and promote Taiwan’s participation in international organizations using creative means, the ministry said.

  Taiwan thanked the US for its long-term assistance in helping solicit and expand the international community’s support for Taiwan’s international participation, it said.
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