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European Parliament calls for expanded partnership with Taiwan
January 29, 2021
TAIPEI - Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has welcomed three resolutions passed by the European Parliament (EP) calling for an expanded partnership with Taiwan, and support for Taiwan's participation in international organisations.
In a resolution on connectivity with Asia, the EP said the EU should learn from Taiwan's best practices in managing COVID-19, enhance people-to-people exchanges and explore a potential investment agreement with Taiwan.
In a similar vein, two resolutions on security and defence policies said Taiwan's donation of more than seven million surgical masks during the pandemic underscored its solidarity with the EU, and called on EU member states to support Taiwan's "meaningful participation" as an observer in the meetings, mechanisms and activities of the World Health Organisation.
The EP also expressed grave concern over recent escalation of tensions in the Indo-Pacific, including China's increasingly provocative military manoeuvres aimed at Taiwan, adding that peaceful cross-strait development was of critical importance to the interests of the EU.
The EU and its member states were urged to revisit their engagement policies with Taiwan and to work with global like-minded partners to protect Taiwan's democracy from foreign threats, the EVP added.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said the EP resolutions came on the back of six similar ones passed by the EP last year, and reflected the legislative body's unwavering commitment to Taiwan.
As a key stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan would continue to expand co-operation with the EU and other like-minded partners to defend shared values of freedom and democracy while promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity, the Ministry said.
