Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson and presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday made Germany’s Berlin Central Station the first stop in her two-legged visit to Europe, saying the station’s “green” construction provided Taiwan with an important lesson about how to move away from nuclear energy.
“In Germany, people realize that regardless of whether it is sustainable energy or nuclear energy, the key is whether politicians have the determination and foresight to back their policies,” Tsai told Taiwanese reporters. “Germany’s experience tells us that it is all possible.”
Tsai departed on Sunday on her first trip abroad since launching her presidential campaign, with the aim to gain a better understanding about sustainable energy and to boost the viability of her “2025 nuclear-free homeland” proposal, party officials said.
The policy initiative, first proposed by Tsai in March, was “very similar” to Germany’s recent -announcement that it would gradually phase out nuclear power by 2022, she said.
Tsai said Berlin’s decision was “the right one” because it would allow the country to become the world’s largest “green market.”
Party officials told Taiwanese reporters that Tsai was accompanied during her visit by Alex Fischer, a member of Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union and a railway official, who informed her that Germany planned to make all 5,000 of its train stations 100 percent sustainable.
“These are all important points of reference that Taiwan can take from Germany,” Tsai said.
Tsai, who plans to return to Taiwan on Saturday, also met German government officials and other ruling party politicians in the afternoon. Party officials said the discussions focused on energy policy and nuclear safety.
Tsai is expected to arrive in the UK today to meet local Taiwanese groups, one day before she visits her alma mater, the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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