A delegation of MEPs from the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee visited Taiwan on 26 and 27 July to discuss the possibilities for cooperation with Taiwan as a like-minded economic, strategic and high-tech regional partner.
During their visit, MEPs held productive discussions with counterparts in the Legislative Yuan and the Taiwanese executive, in particular President Tsai Ing-wen, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Digital Affairs, as well as the Mainland Affairs Council and the National Security Council. They also met the three presidential candidates for the 2024 elections and with Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Council, where they were given useful insights into cooperation in the field of semi-conductors. These engagements reaffirmed to the MEPs Taiwan’s role as a key partner and democratic friend in the Indo-Pacific, as a country that shares with the EU common values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Discussions during the visit focused on the further deepening of economic and people-to-people relations, and the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region, as well as in Ukraine – which Taiwan has strongly supported from the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression.
Urmas Paet, Chair of the delegation, said: “We will continue taking forward already-excellent EU-Taiwan relations, with increased cooperation and exchanges in many fields, including trade and investment, digital and industrial issues, people-to-people contacts, human rights, and disinformation. This is consistent with the EU’s One China Policy and reflects our commonalities. As democracies we need to cooperate and stand together based on our shared values and with respect for the international rules-based order.”
“Delighted to welcome the @EP_ForeignAff delegation led by Committee Vice-Chair @UrmasPaet to Taiwan. Building on our firm partnership & shared commitment to freedom & democracy, I look forward to #Taiwan & the #EU expanding cooperation & deepening our ties,” President Tsai tweeted after the visit.
The AFET delegation was composed of eight Members: Urmas Paet, Chair of the Delegation, (Renew, ET), Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, DE, Chair D-CN), Michael Gahler (EPP, DE), Tonino Picula (S&D, HR), Nathalie Loiseau (Renew, FR), Jakop G. Dalunde (Greens/EFA, SV), Susanna Ceccardi (ID, IT) and Dominik Tarczyński (ECR, PO).
