TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A member of the European Parliament (MEP) on Tuesday (April 5) called on the European Union (EU) to establish a "no limits" partnership to serve as a foil to China's ties with Russia and to provide Taiwan with double the amount in financial support Beijing provides to Moscow's war effort.
During a session of the European Parliament (EP) on Tuesday, MEP Charlie Weimers characterized the EU's relationship with China over the past few decades as being "gullible." Weimers asserted that China had "fooled the world" about the origins of COVID, and "now they're trying to fool us on their support for Russia."
Weimers then cited China Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅), who in January 2021, told Chinese state-run media that China-Russia strategic cooperation has "no limit, no forbidden zone, and no ceiling." This was later cemented with a joint statement issued by China and Russia on the eve of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and 20 days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine declaring that their friendship has "no limits."
Addressing EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell directly, Weimers then recommended that for every euro China spends to support Russia's war effort, "we will invest two in the defensive capabilities of Taiwan." Weimer suggested that it is time for the EP to call on the EU and its member nations to declare that their relationships with Taiwan have "no end limits, no forbidden areas, and no upper bound."
Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Wednesday (April 6) retweeted Weimers' speech and thanked the MEP. Wu pointed out that while China is "cuddling up to Russia," Taiwan is working with the EU on promoting peace, defending democracy, and standing with Ukraine."
Wu concluded that the atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine teach a valuable lesson: "Forces for good must unite to deter and defeat authoritarianism."
China has declared there is a “no-limits partnership” between Beijing and Moscow. Perhaps it is time the EU states it seeks a similar strategic cooperation with Taiwan: no end limits, no forbidden areas, and no upper bound. pic.twitter.com/LsuCtUYuYx
— Charlie Weimers MEP 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 (@weimers) April 5, 2022
