TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan received multi-party support as Swedish parliamentarians held a debate on foreign policy on Wednesday (Feb. 16).

Taiwan came up numerous times throughout the session and most political parties spoke in support of the country, per a CNA report. Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde also made positive comments on Taiwan.

Liberal Party representative Joar Forssell said China was the most dangerous dictatorship in the world and constantly dispatched military jets to intimidate Taiwan, threatening the security of the Taiwan Strait and trying to influence Taiwan's political freedom. Forssell asked Linde whether the government condemns China's malicious provocation against Taiwan.

Linde said it is regrettable that China threatens Taiwan in this way and that it is in the interest of Sweden and the EU to support Taiwan's participation in international affairs. Yet, she added, Stockholm will keep adhering to the so-called “one-China policy” and will not recognize Taiwan as an independent country.

Forssell spoke up, saying that, like it or not, according to political science, Taiwan is a country with its own people, territory, and functioning government, and it ranks eighth in the Global Democracy Index report. He said the people of Taiwan have the right to determine their own future via a free and democratic process, yet the threat of Chinese military power means many people are not free to make that choice.

Aron Emilsson of the Sweden Democrats spoke up to say that he speaks on behalf of himself and his party in strongly condemning China’s actions and said that Beijing must take responsibility for increasing bilateral tensions with Taiwan. Emilsson hopes Sweden can level more direct criticism towards China on the matter.

Meanwhile, Kerstin Lundgren of the Center Party said his party’s position has not changed and it continues to support increasing Taiwan’s international status, especially through bilateral trade and exchange. Lundgren pointed out that the country’s representative office in Taiwan has been upgraded and dubbed the “House of Sweden.” Lundgren also hopes to travel to Taiwan in the spring.

Other parliamentarians who mentioned China’s bullying of Taiwan in addressing parliament include Hans Wallmark of the Moderate Party and Lars Adaktusson of the Christian Democrats. Adaktusson used the word “independent” to describe Taiwan.

Moderate Party MP Hans Rothenberg took it a step further and asked the ruling administration why the Swedish government does not recognize Taiwan if it recognizes Palestine, and does not support Taiwan in the same way it supports Ukraine.

Forssell, Lundgren, and Adaktusson are all members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a transnational grouping made up of parliamentarians in democracies spanning Europe, North America, Japan and other regions of the globe.