A sort of European Parliament The committee passed a resolution on Wednesday calling for stronger ties between the two countries. European Union with Taiwan, And the first warning China“Military warfare” against the democratic island and its 23.5 million citizens.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted 60 to 4 in favor of the “EU-Taiwan Relations and Cooperation” report, which called for European Commission Assess the possibility of the EU-Taiwan Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA).
Six members of parliament abstained from voting on September 1, which also passed an amendment to change the name of Taipei’s “European Economic and Trade Office” to the more formal “European Union Office in Taiwan”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “sincere gratitude” to the committee on Thursday, welcoming a new milestone in Taiwan’s relations with the European Group, which encouraged member states to deepen their relations with Taipei within the EU. IOwn “One China” policy.
Earlier in the day, the Chinese mission in Brussels expressed opposition to the resolution.
A spokesperson said in a statement on its website that the report is beyond the “normal unofficial economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges” between the EU and Taiwan, and China claims that Taiwan is part of its territory.
The Committee on External Relations passed a resolution “[despite] China has repeatedly opposed it,” the statement said, and urged committee members to “recognize the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue.”
In a tweet on Thursday, Reinhard Bütikofer, a German Green Party member of the European Parliament, stated that Beijing was trying to block Taiwan’s report by calling on the European Parliament’s President David Sassoli — the first such report passed by the committee.
“#China Ambassador to the EU has previously intervened with EP President #Sassoli to try to prevent adoption, but to no avail,” Bütikofer wrote. He added that the European Parliament will vote on the resolution at the plenary meeting in October.
In a press release on Wednesday, the committee described Taiwan as an “important EU partner and democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific region, helping to maintain a rule-based order in the increasingly fierce competition among the major powers in the region.”
The EU and Taiwan’s report “continued to China Military engagement, pressure, Assault drill, Airspace violation with Disinformation campaign Oppose Taiwan” and “urging the EU to take more actions to resolve these tensions and protect Taiwan’s democracy and the island’s status as an important EU partner. “
The statement continued: “Members of the European Parliament insist that any change in cross-strait relations cannot be unilateral or against the wishes of the citizens of Taiwan. They also clearly reminded the direct link between European prosperity and Asian security and its consequences. What if. Conflicts extend far beyond the economic realm, as far as Europe is concerned.”
Sweden Democratic Party The report’s rapporteur and member of the European Parliament Charlie Weimers stated that the European Commission must conduct “impact assessment, public consultation and scoping work” for the EU-Taiwan BIA by the end of the year.
“The committee must now strengthen the relationship between the EU and Taiwan and seek a comprehensive partnership with Taiwan,” he said in a statement issued by the committee to the press.
None of the EU member states has established formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Taiwan has multiple missions in Europe. In fact Embassy.
EU recently Support a decision go through Lithuania Establish a Taiwan Representative Office In China-the first to use “Taiwan” instead of the deliberately ambiguous “Taipei”.
China Recall its ambassador to Vilnius He expelled Lithuania’s highest envoy from Beijing last month.According to reports, Lithuania’s business sector is preparing for Indirect economic sanctions By China.
China-EU relations Received a major blow When the European Parliament voted to suspend approval of the trade agreement passed in December.Previously, the European Union sanctioned what it said was responsible for the Chinese officials Human rights violation exist Xinjiang, Before Beijing announced its own punitive measures in return.
The targets of retaliatory sanctions include Bütikofer from the German Ministry of Environmental Protection and Adrian Zenz, a researcher from Xinjiang.
China regards Xinjiang and Taiwan as its “core interests.”it Protest against the U.S.-Europe Bulletin Mentioned Taiwan in June, when the president Joe Biden United European allies.
KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images
