Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) on Sunday removed the “one China” policy from its campaign platform ahead of general elections in September and declared its support for the right of Taiwanese to decide their own future.
During the party’s national congress, a coalition of FDP members raised a proposal to remove language relating to the “one China” policy from the party’s platform, saying that it is misleading and gives China’s leaders an excuse to suppress Beijing’s opponents in Hong Kong, eliminate ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and occupy Taiwan by force.
The proposal was approved in a vote by party members.
The FDP also in its election platform affirmed Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, saying it offers an alternative to China’s dictatorship.
The party’s stance includes support for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations that do not require statehood for participation, and recommends Germany and the EU to expand their engagement with Taiwan.
It also condemns China’s military intimidation of Taiwan and spells out a plan to work with Germany’s European allies and other democracies, such as Australia, Japan, India and the US, to devise strategies to counter Chinese aggression.
The party said it only supports unification under the premise of a peaceful consensus through dialogue that allows Taiwanese to freely decide their own political future.
Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) extended his gratitude to the FDP for its support for Taiwanese self-determination.
The “one China” formulation has served as an excuse for international organizations to exclude Taiwan, but it has long been out of date, Shieh said.
The opposition FDP has in the past few years been vocal in its support for Taiwan.
Party members have many times called on the German parliament to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, while the FDP-linked Friedrich Naumann Foundation plans to relocate its Global Innovation Hub to Taipei from Hong Kong this year.
The FDP is polling at 12 percent, putting it in an optimistic position for the elections set for Sept. 26.
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