TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Sweden does not accept any threat of force in the Taiwan Strait, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said during a parliamentary interpellation session last Thursday (Feb. 2).
“The use of military threats is of course unacceptable. Conflicts of opinion must be resolved peacefully and in a manner consistent with the democratic will of the people of Taiwan,” Billstrom said in response to lawmaker Rasmus Giertz’s concern that the Nordic nation was not acting fast enough to transform its representative office in Taipei to a “House of Sweden.”
The foreign minister reaffirmed Sweden’s diplomatic relations with China but said it has long had “well-developed cooperation and exchange with Taiwan.” Sweden wants to continue developing ties with Taiwan within the framework of its “one China” policy, he said.
He praised Taiwan’s democracy and advocacy for human rights and said it has one of the most important economies in the world. He pointed out that Sweden and Taiwan have close trade ties and cooperate in areas, including human rights, equality, climate, and innovation.
“We naturally intend to continue developing this in different forms,” he said.
Billstrom mentioned that lawmaker Bjorn Soder asked him how he would further push for Taiwan’s global participation a day earlier, on Feb. 1.
He said the Swedish government supports Taiwan's participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and has urged the WHO director-general to invite Taiwan to participate as an observer at the World Health Assembly. The foreign minister added Sweden supported the statement France made on behalf of the EU member states at the opening of last year and this year's WHO board meetings, where the EU emphasized the importance of not leaving out any part of the world from the global health network.
In October, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson highlighted the Chinese threat to Taiwan in a statement of government policy at the Swedish parliament. Kristersson expressed concern about China’s recent rhetoric directed at Taiwan. “Threats of military force are unacceptable,” he said.
He also said Sweden will not tolerate aggressive states that intervene in a democratic country’s freedom and sovereignty. “Might does not make right,” he said.
A Swedish parliamentary delegation visited Taiwan in April, affirming its support for Taiwan’s democracy, human rights, and freedom, and expressed optimism about future bilateral ties after a five-day visit.
That same month, Swedish legislators approved a proposal to change the name of the country’s representative office in Taiwan to “House of Sweden.”
