The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday.
US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative.
The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said.
Photo: CNA
“Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he said in response to reporters’ questions on the sideline of the European Festival. “The KMT Central Standing Committee values democracy and freedom, and expresses support for Ukraine.”
The KMT would continue to carry out social activities that representatives are invited to, Chu said.
The two-day European Festival concluded yesterday, which this year centered around the theme: “United in diversity.” It was held at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei to mark European Day, which is observed on May 9.
This year’s festival had special significance, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the accession of 10 Central and Eastern European countries to the EU, EU Representative to Taiwan Filip Grzegorzewski said.
Taiwan and EU countries are like-minded and share the same values of democracy, freedom and human rights, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said during the festival.
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